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There is no cure or proven way to prevent dementia affecting 55 million people worldwidebut a number of studies have said that following a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of developing the disease.
People who adhered most to a Mediterranean diet (rich in seafood and plant-based foods) had up to a 23% lower risk of dementia than those who adhered least to the diet, he said the latest study, published Monday in the journal BMC Medicine by an international team of researchers. In absolute terms, the research found that following a Mediterranean diet was equivalent to a 0.55% reduction in the risk of developing dementia.
The latest investigation involved 60,298 people who were part of the UK Biobank Study and followed by a period of just over nine years. During the study period, there were 882 cases of dementia among the group. The individuals were between the ages of 40 and 69 and were British or Irish white. How closely they followed the Mediterranean diet was assessed using two different questionnaires that have been widely used in previous diet studies, the researchers said.
“There is a large body of evidence that eating a healthy, balanced diet can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. But the evidence for specific diets is much less clear,” Susan Mitchell, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said in a statement. She was not involved in the investigation.
“This large new study adds to this overall picture, but it was only based on data from people of white, British or Irish ancestry,” he said. “Further research is needed to build on their intriguing findings and discover whether these reported benefits also translate to minority communities, where dementia has historically often been misunderstood and highly stigmatized, and where awareness of how people can reduce their risk is low. “.
There is currently no silver bullet to stop dementia, but eating plenty of vegetables and fruits, getting regular physical activity, and not smoking all contribute to heart News-thread, helping to protect the brain from diseases associated with dementia. added.
The Mediterranean diet has an impressive list of science behind it. This way of eating can prevent cognitive decline but then helps the heart reduces diabetes, prevent bone lossencourage weight loss and more, studies have found.
A study published on March 8 revealed people who ate Mediterranean foods and brain-focused MIND diets had fewer of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (sticky plaques of beta-amyloid and tau tangles in the brain) when autopsied. Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia. The MIND diet, short for Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.
The Mediterranean diet focuses on plant-based cuisine. The bulk of each meal should consist of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and seeds, along with some nuts. There is a strong emphasis on extra virgin olive oil. Butter and other fats are rarely, if at all, and sweets and products made with refined sugar or flour are rare.
Meat can make a rare appearance, but usually just to flavor a dish. Instead, meals can include eggs, dairy, and poultry, but in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet. However, fish, which is packed with brain-boosting omega-3s, is a lot.
Study participants who were more adherent to the diet were more likely to be female, have a BMI within the healthy range, have a higher educational level, and be more physically active than those who were less adherent to the diet.
David Curtis, an honorary professor at the UCL Institute of Genetics in London, who was not involved in the research, noted that the latest study was observational and did not find cause and effect. The finding could reflect a generally healthier lifestyle, he said.
“It is not clear that such a diet by itself reduces the risk of dementia, although it is plausible that it does. It’s important to note that the study refers to all forms of dementia, not Alzheimer’s disease specifically. In my opinion, if there is an effect of diet, then it is more likely to be on cardiovascular News-thread in general and therefore affect dementia due to vascular disease rather than Alzheimer’s disease.”
Duane Mellor, Registered Dietitian and Senior Lecturer at Aston University in Birmingham, UK, said the benefits of a Mediterranean diet are not limited to the nutrients provided by food.
“The Mediterranean way of eating isn’t just about the food on the plate, it’s about the social interactions tied to food, and people who socialize more have a lower risk of dementia and other conditions,” noted Mellor, who didn’t participated in the investigation, in a statement.
“We need to consider how a Mediterranean-type diet can be adapted to the foods available and consumed in the UK, so that inclusive messages about healthy eating can be developed. which include the importance of the social aspects of sharing and eating food with others”.
The study tentatively suggested that adhering to a Mediterranean diet was linked to a reduced risk of dementia even when an individual had an existing genetic risk for the disease.
