Dementia and Diet: Lowering Your Risk

In a world where obesity reigns, diet plans face ever-increasing scrutiny among researchers and the public as a whole. Studies published in a variety of medical journals report that in addition to weight loss benefits, many diets have shown to assist in fertility, depression, diabetes and other major and chronic health issues. Such is the case with the Mediterranean diet.

A new study, conducted by Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia University, resulted in the finding that heart-healthy diets plentiful in fish, fruit, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil, such as the Mediterranean diet, can reduce your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Mediterranean-type diets have also been shown to lessen the risk of cancer, depression, and ward off cognitive problems associated with aging, making it one of the better choices for middle-aged citizens hoping to thwart cognitive decline.

The study, published online in the journal Archives of Neurology, included 2,148 seniors over the age of 65 who had no diagnosed dementia. Of that group, those participants who regularly ate a Mediterranean-style diet were 38 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease within the next four years. "Our findings provide support for further exploration of food combination-based dietary behavior for the prevention of this important public health problem," wrote Scarmeas.

Specifically diets that were low in saturated fats but high in omega-3, omega-6, vitamin E, and folate were the most successful. This type of diet can protect the pathways in which Alzheimer’s can occur. Additionally, diets low in saturated fats help to keep arteries free of atherosclerosis.

Another recent study, also led by Dr. Scarmeas, and being presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology this month, showed that a similar diet could help in the prevention of strokes and resultant brain damage. People who followed the diet to a moderate degree were 21 percent less likely to have brain damage than those in the group with the least adherence, while individuals closely following the diet had a 36 percent less risk in comparison to those who followed it the least.

According to the Mayo Clinic, between one and four percent of Americans suffer from vascular dementia, and the National Institute on Aging projects that between 2.4 million and 4.5 million people in the U.S. have Alzheimer's disease.