2024-04-07 13:51:29
Based on 2014 According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 5 million Americans over age 65 have dementia. Dementia can take many forms, but the most common is Alzheimer’s disease, and is characterized by an impaired ability to remember, think and make decisions.
The risk of dementia is determined by a variety of genetic and environmental factors, many of which we are just beginning to understand. One of the many external factors that influence the risk of neurodegeneration is diet.
As one healthy eating pattern, the Mediterranean diet can improve mental and physical functioning—and several studies show that following it may delay or even prevent dementia.
The Mediterranean dietary pattern is characterized by a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and olive oil, moderate consumption of cheese and fish, and low in red and processed meat.
To assess the available data on the link between this diet and the prevention of dementia, researchers from the University of Milan (Italy) combined data from 21 independent studies involving a total of 65,955 individuals over the age of 60.
Following a strict Mediterranean diet was associated with an 11 percent lower overall rates of dementia among older people. This association was even stronger when only Alzheimer’s disease was considered, with a strict Mediterranean diet reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 27 percent.
As the world’s population continues to grow, dietary changes could save significant health care costs and improve quality of life, the researchers point out.
“Dementia is a commonly diagnosed disease, especially in the elderly. It is important to take into account that the world’s population is gradually aging and the elderly make up a large part of the population. Therefore, although the estimated effect size may be relatively small, it applies to a relatively large proportion of the population, which may be increasing,” they write.
It is important to note that these studies were purely observational in nature, and more research is needed to elucidate all possible biochemical mechanisms underlying this relationship. However, the researchers hypothesized that this effect could be due to the reduction in inflammation associated with following a Mediterranean diet.
“Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, obesity, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes are thought to have a significant impact on the risk of dementia,” the researchers wrote. “These factors are actually associated with chronic inflammation and metabolic disturbances, such as insulin resistance and resulting hyperinsulinemia, which can be detrimental to the brain.”
Several studies have shown that a high Mediterranean diet can reduce several inflammatory biomarkers known to be associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“The role of the Mediterranean diet in reducing chronic inflammation appears to be due to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of many bioactive compounds, such as vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and essential fatty acids, which are provided by foods commonly consumed in this dietary pattern,” explains scientists.
The results of the study have been published žurnale „Aging Clinical and Experimental Research“.
Parenting page “Newsweek”.
2024-04-07 13:51:29