Mediterranean diet and the brain
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, fruits and nuts, is not only good for the heart, but also good for the brain.
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, fruits and nuts, legumes, fish and cereals, and low in dairy products, meat, and fat, with moderate alcohol consumption, is not only good for the
heart, but also good for the brain.
Researchers from America studied 1393 subjects who had normal brain function and 482 individuals with mild cognitive impairment to find out the association between mild cognitive impairment and Mediterranean diet. Food frequency questionnaire was used to collect the data regarding age, sex, ethnicity, education, caloric intake, body mass index, and duration between baseline dietary association and baseline diagnosis.
Compared with the subjects with the lowest Mediterranean diet adherence scores, those with the highest scores had a 28 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. Furthermore, the subjects with intermediate Mediterranean diet adherence scores had a 17 percent lower risk, the researchers found.
Among the group of people with mild cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study, 106 progressed to
Alzheimer's disease during follow-up and good adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk for this transition. Specifically, the subjects with the highest scores for Mediterranean diet adherence had 48 percent less risk and those with intermediate Mediterranean diet adherence had 45 percent less risk than subjects with the lowest scores.
The researchers concluded that following Mediterranean diet-type habits was associated with reduced risk for getting mild cognitive impairment - a transitional stage between normal cognition and dementia/Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, subjects who already had mild cognitive impairment and had a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet had lower risk for converting to Alzheimer's disease. Further studies are required to confirm the role of this or other dietary factors in the development of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
The Mediterranean diet may improve cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels and blood vessel health, or reduce inflammation, all of which have been associated with mild cognitive impairment.
Archives of Neurology
February 2009
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information,
health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like
diabetes,
cancer,
pregnancy,
HIV and AIDS,
weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
Was this Article Helpful
Yes or
No
