Adhering to a healthy diet in your forties may be crucial in preventing dementia in later years, according to recent research.
Eating habits during middle age have a more significant impact on memory decline prevention than previously believed.
A new study involving 3,000 British adults revealed that the quality of one's diet at the age of 43 can predict the risk of developing dementia in the future.
Individuals with diets rich in leafy vegetables and whole grains had sharper brains at 69, according to memory tests. Presented at the American Society for Nutrition conference, the study analysed data from 3,059 UK adults born in 1946, tracked for over 75 years.
Participants maintained food diaries at various ages, providing snapshots of their diets, which were rated as "low," "moderate," or "high" quality based on factors like vegetable intake and consumption of sugary foods.
They also regularly completed cognitive tests measuring brain function and memory. Participants were divided into four groups based on their cognitive sharpness and memory performance until the age of 69, revealing a strong correlation with diet quality.
Of the group with the worst performance in memory tests, 59 per cent had low- quality diets, whereas 7 per cent had high-quality diets. Of the group with the best memories, 36 per cent had a high-quality diet and 8 per cent had a low- quality diet.
