Mediterranean Diet Reduces Dementia Risk for All

A new study published in the journal BMC Medicine found that closely following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a 23% lower risk of developing dementia later in life, regardless of one's genetic risk profile. The study included 60,000 older adults in the UK, 882 of whom developed dementia over the course of an average of nine years. The Mediterranean diet typically includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and seafood, and is largely plant-based. Though the study looked only at people with white, British or Irish ancestry, other research has also found that eating a healthy, balanced diet can help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. A separate study published earlier this month found that those who followed either the Mediterranean diet or the MIND diet had fewer signs of Alzheimer's-related brain changes. With such promising findings, more research is needed to understand the relationship between diet and dementia, and to discover whether these benefits extend to minority communities.