WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A large study found that people who follow the MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's and similar memory problems.
The MIND diet is a combination of two healthy diets - Mediterranean and DASH, mainly focusing on foods that are good for the brain, such as leafy greens, berries, nuts, and olive oil.
'Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer's and related dementias,' said Song-Yi Park, an associate professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 'This suggests that it is never too late to adopt a healthy diet to prevent dementia.'
The study looked at nearly 93,000 adults in the U.S. and showed that the diet had the most clear benefits for African American, Latino, and White participants.
People who followed the MIND diet closely had a 9 percent lower risk of dementia than those who didn't follow it well. Those who improved their diet over 10 years, even if they didn't start off strong, had a 25 percent lower risk.
'People who ate the highest amounts of green leafy vegetables, or seven or more servings per week, had plaque amounts in their brains corresponding to being almost 19 years younger than people who ate the fewest, with one or fewer servings per week,' the researchers said.
While the benefits were smaller among Asian American and Native Hawaiian participants, the overall results show that a brain-healthy diet may help protect memory as we age.
In short, eating more brain-friendly foods like greens, berries, and nuts could lower your chances of dementia, especially if you stick with it over time.
'While our research doesn't prove that a healthy diet resulted in fewer brain deposits of amyloid plaques, also known as an indicator of Alzheimer's disease, we know there is a relationship and following the MIND and Mediterranean diets may be one way that people can improve their brain health and protect cognition as they age,' said study author Puja Agarwal of Rush University in Chicago.
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