Diet Significantly Decreased Risk of Alzheimer’s
The Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet could drastically decrease an individual’s risk of manifesting Alzheimer’s disease (AD) even if the diet is not followed precisely, according to a recent study.
While many studies have looked at what nutrients and foods positively or negatively impact the functionality of the brain over time, this is the first study to test the effects of this diet on Alzheimer’s disease risk.1
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The MIND diet includes the consumption of a salad and 1 other vegetable daily, a glass of wine, and at least 3 servings of whole grains, with beans every other day, poultry and berries twice a week, fish at least once a week, and nuts on most days.1
According to researchers, the foods that should be limited are cheese, fried or fast food (less than 1 serving a week), and butter (less that 1 tablespoon per day). 1
For the study, researchers evaluated participants who were already involved with the ongoing Rush Memory and Aging Project, comparing the effects of the Mediterranean diet, the MIND diet, and the DASH diet on the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. 1,2
Participants were able to earn points if they consumed brain-healthy foods consistently and avoided the unhealthy foods listed by researchers. If participants disclosed that olive oil was their primary use of oil at home, they received 1 point. 1
Overall 144 cases of AD developed during the study. Researchers observed that participants who closely followed the MIND diet had a 53% lower risk of AD, while those following the Mediterranean and DASH diets had 54% and 39% lower risk, respectively.1,2
However, they also observed that those participants moderately adhering to the MIND diet still had a 35% lower risk of AD, which those moderately following Mediterranean and DASH diets showed no decrease in AD risk.
The complete study is published in the February issue of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
-Michelle Canales Butcher
References:
1. Rush University Medical Center. New MIND diet may significantly protect against Alzheimer’s disease. March 16, 2015. www.rush.edu/news/press-releases/new-mind-diet-may-significantly-protect-against-alzheimers-disease. Accessed March 20, 2015.
2. Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, et al. MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2015 February [epub ahead of print] doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.11.009.