The study is the first large-scale human trial to show that healthy living can help maintain or even improve brain function. It found those at risk of dementia put on a two-year lifestyle programme performed 25 per cent better in brain tests than those who received only basic health advice.
The University of Eastern Finland, the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, and Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, assessed almost 1,300 people aged 60-77.
The latest research split participants into two groups – one receiving simple health advice, and the other in-depth guidance on nutrition, exercise, cognitive training and social activities.
The diet included high amounts of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, low-fat dairy and meat, less than 50g sugar a day and fish at least twice a week. The scheme recommended muscle training between one and three times a week and aerobic exercise two to five times a week. Brain training included sessions with psychologists and regular computer-based exercises at home.
