Dementia risk could be lowered by eating certain type of diet, new study finds
dailyrecord.co.ukThe chances of a person developing dementia may be lowered if they adopt a certain kind of diet, according to scientists.A Mediterranean diet, which is rich in nuts, seafood, whole grains, and vegetables, has been found to be associated with up to 23% lower risk of the devastating illness.A study was carried out amongst more than 60,000 participants who were tracked on their adherence to the diet.
Those who stuck to it the most were found to have the lowest risk of developing dementia. The findings, published in the journal BMC Medicine, are based on data from more than 60,000 individuals from the UK Biobank – an online database of medical and lifestyle records from more than half a million Brits.But the researchers noted the results are based mainly on European ancestry and that more studies are needed across a wider range of populations to determine the potential benefit.However, they added that a Mediterranean diet with plenty of plant-based foods could still be "an important intervention" as part of future public health strategies to reduce dementia risk.Dr Oliver Shannon, lecturer in Human Nutrition & Ageing at Newcastle University, who is lead author on the study, 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."Dr Shannon and his colleagues analysed data from 60,298 people who had completed a dietary assessment, and the researchers scored individuals using two
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