Here's what WHO's recommendations on air pollution, obesity risks mean for India
New global guidance also recommends tackling obesity, diabetes, and hearing loss; AIIMS and NIMHANS experts contributed to the report
- Jul 16, 2026,
- Updated Jul 16, 2026 1:03 PM IST
The World Health Organization (WHO) has, for the first time, recommended reducing exposure to air pollution as part of its global guidance to lower the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a move that could have significant implications for India, where fine particulate pollution remains among the highest in the world.
The recommendation is part of the second edition of WHO's Risk Reduction of Cognitive Decline and Dementia guidelines, released on Wednesday, which updates the organisation's 2019 guidance with new evidence on environmental and metabolic risk factors.
Besides air pollution, the revised recommendations also cover obesity, hearing loss, diabetes, and hypertension, while advocating a combination of interventions to reduce dementia risk across a person's lifetime.
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The updated guidelines also include contributions from Indian experts. Dr Sonali Jhanjee of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and Dr Palanimuthu Thangaraju Sivakumar of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, were members of the Guideline Development Group that prepared the recommendations. Dr Suvarna Alladi, also from NIMHANS, served as an external peer reviewer.
"We know more today than ever before about what drives dementia risk, and these guidelines translate that knowledge into action," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said while releasing the report. "Countries now have clear, evidence-based recommendations they can put into practice immediately to protect people's cognitive health."
The WHO estimates that more than 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia, and nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed every year. Alzheimer's disease accounts for an estimated 60-70% of all dementia cases. While there is no cure, the organisation says up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, social isolation, air pollution, hypertension and diabetes.
For India, the recommendation on air pollution is particularly relevant. According to the State of Global Air report, air pollution was linked to nearly 2.1 million deaths in India in 2021, while several Indian cities continue to record annual PM2.5 levels many times higher than the WHO's guideline limits.
By including ambient and household air pollution in its dementia prevention recommendations, WHO broadens the list of health conditions associated with poor air quality beyond respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The report recommends reducing exposure to both ambient and household air pollution, particularly PM2.5, saying it "may reduce the risk or incidence of cognitive decline and/or dementia."
The updated guidance also introduces new recommendations on cognitive stimulation, dietary interventions for overweight and obese adults, and the use of hearing aids for adults with hearing loss. It reiterates earlier advice on increasing physical activity, quitting tobacco, reducing alcohol consumption, and managing hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol as part of dementia risk reduction.
WHO has also advised against using vitamin B and E supplements, omega-3 fatty acids or multivitamins solely to prevent dementia in people without diagnosed nutritional deficiencies, saying there is no evidence that the benefits outweigh potential harms.
The report notes that dementia imposes a heavy economic burden globally, costing an estimated $1.3 trillion every year, with about half of that arising from unpaid care provided by families and friends.
"Because there is no widely accessible disease-modifying treatment or cure for dementia, prevention across the life course remains the most effective strategy to reduce future incidence," the report says.
The recommendations come as India faces a growing dementia burden. A study published in The Lancet Public Health estimated that about 8.8 million Indians aged 60 years and above were living with dementia in 2019, a figure projected to nearly double to 16.9 million by 2050, underscoring the need for preventive measures alongside improved diagnosis and care.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has, for the first time, recommended reducing exposure to air pollution as part of its global guidance to lower the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, a move that could have significant implications for India, where fine particulate pollution remains among the highest in the world.
The recommendation is part of the second edition of WHO's Risk Reduction of Cognitive Decline and Dementia guidelines, released on Wednesday, which updates the organisation's 2019 guidance with new evidence on environmental and metabolic risk factors.
Besides air pollution, the revised recommendations also cover obesity, hearing loss, diabetes, and hypertension, while advocating a combination of interventions to reduce dementia risk across a person's lifetime.
Don't Miss: How obesity and diabetes drugs are driving India’s pharma market growth
The updated guidelines also include contributions from Indian experts. Dr Sonali Jhanjee of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and Dr Palanimuthu Thangaraju Sivakumar of the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, were members of the Guideline Development Group that prepared the recommendations. Dr Suvarna Alladi, also from NIMHANS, served as an external peer reviewer.
"We know more today than ever before about what drives dementia risk, and these guidelines translate that knowledge into action," WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said while releasing the report. "Countries now have clear, evidence-based recommendations they can put into practice immediately to protect people's cognitive health."
The WHO estimates that more than 57 million people worldwide are living with dementia, and nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed every year. Alzheimer's disease accounts for an estimated 60-70% of all dementia cases. While there is no cure, the organisation says up to 45% of dementia risk is linked to modifiable factors, including tobacco use, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, social isolation, air pollution, hypertension and diabetes.
For India, the recommendation on air pollution is particularly relevant. According to the State of Global Air report, air pollution was linked to nearly 2.1 million deaths in India in 2021, while several Indian cities continue to record annual PM2.5 levels many times higher than the WHO's guideline limits.
By including ambient and household air pollution in its dementia prevention recommendations, WHO broadens the list of health conditions associated with poor air quality beyond respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
The report recommends reducing exposure to both ambient and household air pollution, particularly PM2.5, saying it "may reduce the risk or incidence of cognitive decline and/or dementia."
The updated guidance also introduces new recommendations on cognitive stimulation, dietary interventions for overweight and obese adults, and the use of hearing aids for adults with hearing loss. It reiterates earlier advice on increasing physical activity, quitting tobacco, reducing alcohol consumption, and managing hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol as part of dementia risk reduction.
WHO has also advised against using vitamin B and E supplements, omega-3 fatty acids or multivitamins solely to prevent dementia in people without diagnosed nutritional deficiencies, saying there is no evidence that the benefits outweigh potential harms.
The report notes that dementia imposes a heavy economic burden globally, costing an estimated $1.3 trillion every year, with about half of that arising from unpaid care provided by families and friends.
"Because there is no widely accessible disease-modifying treatment or cure for dementia, prevention across the life course remains the most effective strategy to reduce future incidence," the report says.
The recommendations come as India faces a growing dementia burden. A study published in The Lancet Public Health estimated that about 8.8 million Indians aged 60 years and above were living with dementia in 2019, a figure projected to nearly double to 16.9 million by 2050, underscoring the need for preventive measures alongside improved diagnosis and care.