Guideline

Risk reduction of cognitive decline and dementia: WHO guidelines

Year of Publication

2019

Issuing Institution

World Health Organization

Links

WHO IRIS

Recommendations

16 included recommendations

Physical activity should be recommended to adults with normal cognition to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Moderate

Physical activity may be recommended to adults with mild cognitive impairment to reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Low

Interventions for tobacco cessation should be offered to adults who use tobacco since they may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in addition to other health benefits.

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Low

The Mediterranean-like diet may be recommended to adults with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia.

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Moderate

A healthy, balanced diet should be recommended to all adults based on WHO recommendations on healthy diet

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Low

Vitamins B and E, polyunsaturated fatty acids and multi-complex supplementation should not be recommended to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia.

Status

Maintained

Recommended against

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Moderate

Interventions aimed at reducing or ceasing hazardous and harmful drinking should be offered to adults with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia in addition to other health benefits

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Moderate

Cognitive training may be offered to older adults with normal cognition and with mild cognitive impairment to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia.

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Cognitive training may be offered to older adults with normal cognition and with mild cognitive impairment to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia.

Status

New

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Social participation and social support are strongly connected to good health and wellbeing throughout life and social inclusion should be supported over the life-course.

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Low

Interventions for mid-life overweight and/or obesity may be offered to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia.

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Low

Management of hypertension should be offered to adults with hypertension according to existing WHO guidelines

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The management of diabetes in the form of medications and/or lifestyle interventions should be offered to adults with diabetes according to existing WHO guidelines.

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Strong

Certainty of evidence

Very low

The management of diabetes may be offered to adults with diabetes to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and/or dementia.

Status

Retired

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Very low

Management of dyslipidaemia at mid-life may be offered to reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Status

Maintained

Recommended in favor

Conditional

Certainty of evidence

Low

Screening followed by provision of hearing aids should be offered to older people for timely identification and management of hearing loss as recommended in the WHO ICOPE guidelines.

Status

Retired

Not specified