- Research suggests that following a Mediterranean diet has many health benefits, including a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
- In addition to these health benefits, some studies suggest that this dietary pattern may prevent or slow the cognitive decline associated with dementia. Still, studies have produced conflicting results.
- But in a new observational study spanning 20 years, Swedish scientists found no significant association between a Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk of dementia.
- Researchers suggest that more research is needed to fully understand the role diet plays in reducing the risk of dementia.
Dementia is a syndrome usually associated with chronic or progressive cognitive decline.
It can be caused by injuries and health conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), stroke, and disorders that affect blood vessels in the brain. Still, the cause of dementia is not fully understood.
WHO
As the prevalence of dementia is expected to rise, it is important to identify prevention strategies and effective treatments.
One area of research that is garnering the attention of scientists is the role diet plays in reducing the risk of dementia. Specifically, scientists are interested in the Mediterranean diet. This is a dietary pattern that follows the traditional cuisine of people living in the Mediterranean region.
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Scientists suggest that diet alone may not have a strong impact on cognitive function.
This study was published in the journal’s online edition on October 12. neurology.
To investigate the role of diet in the development of dementia related to dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia, researchers from Lund University analyzed dietary data of 28,025 people in Sweden over a 20-year period. The average age of participants at the start of the study was 58, and none had been diagnosed with dementia.
Participants completed a 7-day food diary, a detailed food frequency questionnaire, and underwent a personal interview.
At 20 years of follow-up, 1,943 or nearly 7% of participants were diagnosed with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia.
Researchers then examined whether participants were adhering to conventional or Mediterranean diet recommendations. The conventional dietary recommendations used by the scientists followed Swedish nutritional recommendations and guidelines, as well as US and UK guidelines. In addition, researchers used the Modified Mediterranean Diet Score (mMDS) to calculate participants’ adherence to the Mediterranean diet.
In addition to dietary adherence, the researchers adjusted for age, gender, education, and lifestyle factors.The team also excluded participants diagnosed with dementia within five years of study entry.
After reviewing the data, the scientists found significant differences between adherence to conventional dietary recommendations or the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or vascular dementia. I found no relevance.
They also found no evidence that adherence to either diet affected the presence of Alzheimer’s disease-related biomarkers in a subgroup of 738 participants.
Furthermore, the same results were found among individuals adhering to dietary recommendations or adhering to a Mediterranean diet.
Still, the researchers found that participants who developed dementia during the 20-year study period were older and had lower levels of education at the start of the study compared to those who did not develop symptoms. In addition, individuals who developed dementia also had cardiovascular risk factors and comorbid health conditions at the start of the study.
However, given the study’s limitations, including that participants may not have reported dietary and lifestyle information, the researchers suggest that more research is needed to confirm these findings. doing.
In a press release, study author Isabelle Glans, PhD, a research and PhD student at Lund University, said:
“Our study does not rule out a possible link between diet and dementia, but it had a longer follow-up period and included younger participants than some other studies, giving people a need to remember.” Our study found no associations with the foods they ate regularly years ago.
In a study-related editorial, Dr. Nils Peters, a neurologist and professor at the University of Basel, Switzerland, and Dr. Benedetta Nakmias, a professor at the University of Florence, Italy, argued that despite these results, in particular, vascular risk factors This is all the more important when incorporated into multimodal approaches that include other means such as control of . “
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ABPP’s Karen D. Sullivan, Ph.D., author of the I CARE FOR YOUR BRAIN educational program, who was not involved in the study, said: medical news today:
“The Mediterranean diet provides strong evidence that this diet leads to the prevention of chronic disease and improved vascular health through consequent stable blood glucose and blood pressure levels, a healthy lipid profile, and low systemic inflammation. are accumulating.”
Kimberly Gomer, RD, LDN, nutrition director at Body Beautiful Miami, said: MNT:
“Physical and Cognitive Benefits [of the Mediterranean diet] Highly processed foods, including those included in this diet (fish, olives, oils, vegetables) as well as those not included, primarily processed grains and vegetable seed oils (soybeans, corn, sunflowers, canola, vegetables). food, and sugar. In my opinion, people who consume omega-3 fats along with highly processed foods, seed oils and sugar may not be able to prevent dementia or dementia. “
“The most evidence-based brain health diet is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet, aptly named acronym called the MIND diet,” Sullivan said. […]”
“The MIND diet focuses on regular consumption of 10 healthy foods: beans, berries, fish, leafy greens, nuts, poultry, olive oil, vegetables, whole grains and wine. but avoids 5 specific unhealthy food categories (butter, cheese, fried foods). [and] Fast food, red meat, sweets [and] pastries),” said Sullivan.
“But, as with all diets, consuming brain-health-promoting foods in combination with other lifestyle choices can help achieve substantial benefits such as consistent aerobic exercise, socialization, cognitive stimulation, and meaning.” It’s important to remember that you need to get the benefits – make.Nothing is isolated […] It would have a powerful effect on something as complex as the brain,” she noted.
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