Behold, the mediterranean salad, the reason you’re reading this.
Do you want to keep your brain healthy and happy as you age? Do you love eating delicious food that makes you feel like you’re on vacation? If you answered yes to both questions, then you might want to consider following a Mediterranean diet.
The Science Behind the Salad
A new study by experts at Newcastle University has revealed that eating a traditional Mediterranean-type diet – rich in foods such as seafood, fruit, and nuts – may help reduce the risk of dementia by almost a quarter. That’s right, you can lower your chances of losing your marbles by munching on some olives and hummus.
The study, published in BMC Medicine, is one of the biggest of its kind, as it analyzed data from over 60,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, a large cohort that includes people from across the UK. The researchers scored the participants based on how closely their diet matched the key features of a Mediterranean one. They then followed them for almost a decade, during which time there were 882 cases of dementia.
Salads galore! And make them mediterranean-ish.
It’s Not All in Your Genes
The researchers also considered each individual’s genetic risk for dementia by estimating their polygenic risk - a measure of all the different genes that are related to the risk of dementia. They found that there was no significant interaction between the polygenic risk and the associations between Mediterranean diet adherence. This means that even for those with a higher genetic risk, having a better diet could reduce the likelihood of developing dementia.
Dr Oliver Shannon, Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Ageing, Newcastle University, led the study with Professor Emma Stevenson and joint senior author Professor David Llewellyn. He said: “Dementia impacts the lives of millions of individuals throughout the world, and there are currently limited options for treating this condition. Finding ways to reduce our risk of developing dementia is, therefore, a major priority for researchers and clinicians. Our study suggests that eating a more Mediterranean-like diet could be one strategy to help individuals lower their risk of dementia.”
Don’t Take Our Word for It
The researchers caution that their analysis is limited to individuals who self-reported their ethnic background as white, British or Irish, as genetic data was only available based on European ancestry, and that further research is needed in a range of populations to determine the potential benefit.
They conclude that, based on their data, a Mediterranean diet that has a high intake of healthy plant-based foods may be an important intervention to incorporate into future strategies to reduce dementia risk.
Dr Janice Ranson, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Exeter and joint lead author on the paper, said: “The findings from this large population-based study underscore the long-term brain health benefits of consuming a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. The protective effect of this diet against dementia was evident regardless of a person’s genetic risk, and so this is likely to be a beneficial lifestyle choice for people looking to make healthy dietary choices and reduce their risk of dementia. Future dementia prevention efforts could go beyond generic healthy diet advice and focus on supporting people to increase consumption of specific foods and nutrients that are essential for brain health.”
Editor's note : This appears to be a waffle, not a salad.
Just Do It
So what are you waiting for? Grab your fork and dig into some Greek salad, grilled fish, roasted veggies, and fresh fruit. Your brain will thank you for it. And don’t forget to drizzle some olive oil on top - it’s good for your heart too! Bon appetit!
Source : Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with lower dementia risk, independent of genetic predisposition: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study. O Shannon et al.BMC Medicine. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-02772-3
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