SHIELD: A Practical Framework to Prevent Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is emerging as a major public health challenge worldwide. With someone diagnosed with dementia every three seconds, mostly due to AD, the impact on individuals and societies is profound. Currently, around 50 million people live with AD, and this figure is projected to surpass 130 million by 2050, posing immense health and economic burdens.

Research suggests that up to one-third of AD cases might be preventable by addressing specific lifestyle and health factors. A 2024 report from the Lancet Commission highlights 14 modifiable risk factors including traumatic brain injury, hypertension, depression, diabetes, smoking, obesity, high cholesterol, low physical activity, excessive alcohol intake, limited education, vision and hearing loss, social isolation, and air pollution. Managing these factors early in life can significantly reduce the risk.

However, monitoring and managing 14 different targets can be complex for the general public. To facilitate easier prevention, a simple and memorable model is needed—similar to the FAST mnemonic used for stroke recognition. The proposed SHIELD framework encapsulates the key risk factors into five core pillars: Sleep, Head Injury prevention, Exercise, Learning, and Diet.

Maintaining healthy sleep habits is fundamental. Adequate sleep enhances brain function, memory, and mood, while poor sleep—common in midlife—can lead to amyloid-beta build-up, increasing AD risk. Protecting against head injuries through safety measures is also crucial, as traumatic brain injuries are strongly linked to higher dementia risk.

Regular physical activity is one of the most effective ways to lower AD risk. Exercise helps control obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression, and promotes brain health. Continuing to challenge the brain through lifelong learning—reading, new languages, hobbies—bolsters cognitive reserve, making the brain more resilient.

Finally, a nutritious diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and fish—such as the Mediterranean diet—supports brain health by reducing inflammation and vascular risks. Together, these lifestyle changes, summarized under SHIELD, provide a practical, science-backed approach to brain health preservation.

Preventing AD is possible with informed, targeted lifestyle choices. The goal is to shift from viewing dementia as inevitable to adopting a proactive prevention mindset, safeguarding memories and independence for future generations.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-shield-simple-alzheimer-disease-dementia.html