A new study led by the University of Newcastle found that consuming a traditional Mediterranean-type diet consisting of substantial amounts of seafood, fruits and nuts can help reduce the risk of dementia by about a quarter. This research is one of the largest studies of the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and dementia, as previous studies were generally limited to small sample sizes and a low number of dementia cases.
The scientists analyzed data from 60.298 people who completed a dietary assessment from the UK Biobank and scored the participants according to how close their diets were to those of the Mediterranean core. Next, the participants were followed for almost a decade – during which time 882 developed dementia – the researchers also assessed each of the genetic risks of dementia by estimating what's known as "polygenic risk" (a measure of gene diversity). known to increase the risk of developing dementia). The results revealed that individuals who regularly ate a Mediterranean-like diet had up to a 23 percent lower risk of dementia than the other participants.
"Dementia affects the lives of millions worldwide, and there are currently limited options for treating the condition," said lead author Oliver Shannon, a lecturer in Human Nutrition and Aging at Newcastle.
“Therefore, finding ways to reduce our risk of developing dementia is a huge priority for researchers and clinicians. Our study shows that eating a more Mediterranean-like diet may be a strategy to help individuals reduce their risk of dementia.
The experts also found no significant interaction between polygenic risk for dementia and adherence to the Mediterranean diet; This suggests that even people at high genetic risk who follow a better diet may be less likely to develop this debilitating condition.
As the analysis is limited to people who report their ethnicity as white, British or Irish, more research is needed to determine potential benefits, such as diet, when it comes to other ethnicities.
"The findings of this large population-based study highlight the long-term brain health benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats," said Janice Ranson, lead author of the study. Research Fellow in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Exeter.
“The protective effect of this diet against dementia was evident regardless of a person's genetic risk, and so for people who want to make healthy dietary choices and reduce their risk of dementia, this will likely be a beneficial lifestyle choice. Future dementia prevention efforts may go beyond general healthy eating recommendations and focus on supporting people to increase their consumption of certain foods and nutrients essential for brain health.”
The study was published in the journal BMC Medicine.