What can you do to limit the risk of dementia?

There are various circumstances that can promote the development of dementia, so-called risk factors. Some of these you can influence yourself, some less or not at all. Here you can find out what you can do to reduce the risk of dementia. You can also ask your family doctor or representatives of other healthcare professions about all these topics.

The following risk factors can contribute to you developing dementia:

  • smoking
  • severe head injury
  • hearing impairment
  • severe obesity
  • untreated high blood pressure
  • unhealthy diet
  • too much alcohol
  • too much cholesterol
  • too little exercise
  • certain medications
  • depressive illnesses
  • diabetes mellitus
  • hormone therapy
  • Air pollution
  • Pesticides

These risk factors are largely based on causes that can be treated. They are also often linked to habits that you can actively change:

How you can prevent it yourself

  • Get plenty of exercise, especially if you sit a lot during the day, for example at work. Make up for this in your free time.
  • Keep your mind fit. Try to bring variety into your everyday life: By not always walking the same routes, reading different things or learning something new such as a foreign language or a musical instrument, you will also stay mentally fit.
  • Maintain social contacts. Being together with other people is good for your mental and emotional health.
  • Eat a healthy diet. A dietician can help you get the right nutrients and manage your weight.
  • Be careful when taking different medications at the same time. Ask at the pharmacy which medications are compatible with each other. 

A drug that prevents the development of dementia does not yet exist. In very rare cases, dementia is hereditary, which increases the risk of developing the disease. However, this does not mean that you are certain to develop dementia. You can still influence many other risk factors.

Recommendations on diet, alcohol consumption and exercise can be found in these brochures:

Last updated: June 25, 2025