WHO: Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol to Reduce Dementia Risk
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that up to 45 per cent of dementia risks can be prevented or delayed by controlling risk factors through lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and limiting alcohol consumption. The recommendations are contained in the latest WHO guidelines released on 15 July 2026 as an effort to curb the rising number of dementia cases worldwide.
Dementia is a syndrome that causes a decline in memory, thinking ability, and daily function, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common cause. WHO estimates that more than 57 million people are living with dementia globally, with nearly 10 million new cases each year.
Quoting from its official website on Thursday (16/7), WHO emphasised that the risk of dementia is not only influenced by age and genetic factors but also by lifestyle factors that can be modified early on. Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are two major factors as they can increase the risk of damage to blood vessels, nerve cells, and cognitive decline.
To reduce the risk of dementia, WHO recommends that people exercise regularly, consume a balanced nutritious diet, maintain an ideal body weight, control blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, and remain socially and mentally active.
WHO also included two new factors requiring attention: exposure to air pollution and untreated vision impairment. According to the organisation, these two conditions are increasingly found to be associated with an elevated risk of dementia, particularly in older age.
Therefore, prevention should not only be carried out when a person reaches old age but should ideally begin during productive years. Simple steps such as quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and managing chronic diseases can provide long-term benefits for brain health.
WHO cautioned that the number of dementia sufferers is expected to continue rising in the coming decades as the elderly population grows. To date, there is no medicine available that can cure dementia, making prevention efforts the most effective strategy to reduce its impact on individuals, families, and health systems.
Through these latest guidelines, WHO encourages every country to strengthen primary healthcare services through public education, early detection of risk factors, and management of chronic diseases. The organisation hopes these measures can suppress the future incidence of dementia while helping people maintain cognitive function into old age.