A recent study suggests that adhering to a Mediterranean-style diet, characterised by foods such as fish, fruits, and nuts, may decrease the risk of dementia by almost 25%.
Newcastle University experts discovered that individuals adhering to a Mediterranean-like diet had a significantly reduced risk of dementia, up to 23% lower compared to those with different dietary habits. This extensive study, published in BMC Medicine, marks a significant advancement in dementia research, as prior studies often faced limitations such as small sample sizes and low dementia case numbers.
Researchers analysed data from 60,298 individuals within the UK Biobank, a vast cohort representing diverse regions of the UK, all of whom had undergone dietary assessments. Participants were assessed based on how closely their diet resembled key components of the Mediterranean diet. Over nearly a decade of follow-up, during which 882 cases of dementia were recorded, the study yielded valuable insights into the diet-dementia relationship.
The authors factored in each individual's genetic predisposition to dementia by assessing their polygenic risk, which measures the collective impact of various genes associated with dementia risk.
Dr Oliver Shannon, Lecturer in Human Nutrition and Ageing, Newcastle University, led the study with Professor Emma Stevenson and joint senior author Professor David Llewellyn.
The research also involved experts from the universities of Edinburgh, UEA and Exeter and was part of the Medical Research Council-funded NuBrain consortium.
Dr Shannon said: "Dementia impacts the lives of millions of individuals throughout the world, and there are currently limited options for treating this condition.
