The World Health Organization released updated dementia risk-reduction guidelines, stating that up to 45% of dementia risk can be prevented or delayed by addressing lifestyle and health factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, social isolation, physical inactivity, air pollution, and noncommunicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes.

Physical activity is central to prevention, being strongly recommended for adults with normal cognition and conditionally recommended for those with mild cognitive impairment, highlighting endurance, strength training, and reducing sedentary behavior.

Public health strategies and personal measures emphasized include physical activity, a healthy diet, non-smoking, and cognitive engagement to reduce dementia risk.

Among midlife factors, hearing loss and high LDL cholesterol each account for about 7% of dementia cases, while lower education in early life and social isolation in later life contribute about 5% each.

Cognitive training and cognitive stimulation—such as reading, storytelling, and everyday tasks—are endorsed, though with low to conditional evidence and acknowledgment of a limited evidence base.

Two new factors added to the risk-factor list in 2024 are high LDL cholesterol and vision loss, expanding the previous 12-factor framework from 2020.

Guidelines caution that they are not a substitute for clinical advice and that evidence quality varies; comprehensive prevention should address brain, heart, and environmental health across multiple domains.

There is emphasis on managing cardiovascular risk factors—blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol—and consideration of hearing aids as part of risk reduction for hearing loss.

Hearing aids are recognized as potentially protective against cognitive decline for people with hearing loss.

Social engagement is explicitly recommended, marking a shift from earlier years when evidence for social activity was weaker.

Improved air quality and reduced particulate matter—indoors and outdoors—are linked to cognitive benefits.

Vitamin and dietary supplements (vitamins B and E, omega-3s, multivitamins) are not advised for dementia prevention unless there is a diagnosed deficiency, due to insufficient evidence of benefit.