Singapore-Studies show that individuals who consume a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in middle age are less likely to suffer from cognitive impairment in later years.
Researchers found that participants who consumed an average of about 520 g of fruit and vegetables per day were 23% less likely to have cognitive impairment than those who consumed an average of 165 g per day.
The study, led by Dr. Koh Woon Puay, a professor of health and longevity translational research programs at the National University of Singapore’s Yonglulin School of Medicine, found that increasing the variety of fruits and vegetables consumed also reduced the risk of cognitive decline. I did. amount.
“It’s not enough to eat more, and increasing the variety of fruit and vegetable consumption is also important for improving health,” said Dr. Ko, the corresponding author of the study.
Published in the British Journal of Nutrition in March, this study is the first known study to investigate a variety of fruits and vegetables, regardless of intake.
The researchers used data from the Singapore Chinese Health Survey, which collected the dietary patterns of more than 63,000 Chinese Singaporeans between the ages of 45 and 74 between 1993 and 1998.
A total of 14 fruits and 25 vegetables were identified as commonly edible foods and included in the study.
Twenty years after the study, a follow-up interview was conducted to measure their cognitive function, with 16,737 participants forming the final study population.
In this study, participants who consumed an average of 10 fruits per month were found to be 22% less likely to have cognitive impairment than those who consumed 4 fruits.
Participants who consumed 22 vegetables each month had a 13% lower risk than those who consumed an average of 13 vegetables.
Fruits were further classified according to the glycemic index.
Those with a low glycemic index have a slower rise in blood glucose than those with a high index.
The vegetable category included light green vegetables, dark green vegetables, Brassicaceae vegetables, yellow vegetables, tomato products, and mushrooms.
Studies have shown that eating the categories of low glycemic index fruits such as apples and peaches, vegetables from mushrooms, and light green vegetables is associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline.
Although the study population consists only of Singaporeans from China, Dr. Kor said the findings are applicable to all races.
She states: “The benefits (low risk of cognitive decline) are due to biological factors, not just Chinese. Nutrients and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables help protect brain function. increase.”
The findings are consistent with other studies conducted in Europe, the United States, and Japan, and similarly conclude that higher fruit and vegetable intakes reduce the risk of cognitive impairment later in life. rice field.
Dr. Chang Tat Hong, who did not participate in the study, said he wanted the study to convince Singaporeans to change their diet.
A doctor who teaches patients how to make dietary changes to reduce the risk of chronic illness says, “This study is very practical. We can start right away (reducing the risk of cognitive decline) today. You can do it. “
