Alzheimer’s disease is expected to affect more than 130 million people worldwide by 2050. Every few seconds, someone is diagnosed with dementia, most often Alzheimer’s, and the impact on families and health systems is already enormous. The condition is progressive, with no cure available yet, which makes prevention a critical part of the conversation.
Donald Weaver, a professor of chemistry and senior scientist at the Krembil Research Institute, believes prevention can be made easier to follow. He has proposed a model that condenses the science of risk reduction into one clear framework. Here, we’ll look at the method, how it works, and practical recommendations for lowering your risk.
A simple method to lower Alzheimer’s risk
Weaver points to a problem with current prevention advice. While studies like the Lancet Commission have identified more than a dozen modifiable risk factors for dementia—ranging from hypertension and diabetes to smoking and social isolation—it’s hard for most people to track and manage 14 different goals over decades.
That’s where SHIELD comes in. SHIELD is an easy-to-remember model that groups the most influential dementia risk factors into five pillars: sleep, head injury prevention, exercise, learning, and diet. Each area is backed by research showing strong links between lifestyle and brain health. By focusing on these five, people can work toward prevention without being overwhelmed by a long checklist.
The simplicity of SHIELD makes it comparable to FAST, the well-known mnemonic used in stroke awareness. Just as FAST helps people recognize stroke warning signs quickly, SHIELD gives people a tool to think about daily choices that influence long-term cognitive health.
Practical recommendations to implement the method
The strength of SHIELD is that each element translates into actions you can take right now. These recommendations are everyday habits that may protect brain function over time.
- Sleep: Aim for consistent, good-quality sleep. Research shows that fewer than five hours a night or frequent interruptions increase the risk of cognitive decline. Chronic poor sleep may also lead to the buildup of amyloid-beta, a protein tied to Alzheimer’s development.
- Head injury prevention: Protecting the brain from trauma matters at all ages. Wear helmets during activities like cycling and follow concussion protocols in sports.
- Exercise: Stay active most days of the week. Even small amounts of movement can reduce risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, and depression, while supporting memory and new brain cell growth. Exercise benefits both the heart and the brain.
- Learning: Keep the brain challenged. Education in youth builds cognitive reserve, but learning later in life also helps maintain it. Reading, language study, and problem-solving activities all contribute. Cognitive reserve allows the brain to keep functioning even when changes from Alzheimer’s begin.
- Diet: Prioritize nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods. Diets like the Mediterranean approach, which focus on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fish, and olive oil, support vascular and brain health while limiting processed foods, added sugars, and red meat.
Together, these steps make Alzheimer’s prevention more approachable. Instead of treating dementia as inevitable, SHIELD frames it as something people can actively work against.