Dietary Changes May Help Prevent Dementia

A recent analysis involving 90,000 adults suggests that it’s never too late to improve your eating habits to help prevent dementia.

Research from scientists at the University of Hawaii indicates that individuals over 45 who adhered to the MIND diet experienced a significantly lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related conditions.

The MIND diet—which stands for Mediterranean Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay—was created by the late Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush University. This diet blends aspects of the traditional Mediterranean diet with the DASH diet, known for lowering blood pressure.

Key components of the MIND diet include brain-boosting foods such as leafy greens, berries, nuts, fish, and olive oil.

The study found that the MIND diet provided a stronger and more consistent reduction in dementia risk compared to other healthy dietary patterns, notably across various racial groups. Participants who improved their dietary adherence over time experienced the most significant risk reduction.

Overall, participants who had higher MIND adherence scores at the beginning of the study demonstrated a 9% lower risk of dementia, which increased to about 13% for African Americans, Latinos, and Whites.

This beneficial effect was observed in both younger and older individuals, implying that adopting this dietary pattern can be advantageous at any age.

“Our findings reinforce that maintaining a healthy diet in mid to late life can help prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias,” noted Dr. Song-Yi Park, an Associate Professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. “It shows that it’s never too late to switch to a healthier diet to guard against dementia.”

The research team analyzed data collected from over 90,000 American adults regarding their dietary habits, starting back in the 1990s.

The study participants were aged 45 to 75 at the onset, with more than 21,000 developing Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia in subsequent years.

Furthermore, those who improved their adherence to the MIND diet over a decade—regardless of their initial eating habits—were found to have a 25% lower risk of dementia compared to individuals whose adherence declined.

Dr. Park observed that this trend was consistent across various age groups and racial categories. However, the link between maintaining a healthy diet and reducing dementia risk did not appear as strong for Asian Americans and was particularly weak among Native Hawaiians.

“A more tailored approach may be beneficial when assessing the dietary quality of different demographic subgroups,” suggested Dr. Park, noting that additional studies might help further clarify these trends.

Dr. Park presented these findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, Florida, on June 2.