Preserving Brain Health: Adhering to Mediterranean Diet and Leading an Active Lifestyle Offers Potential Protection
A modern study is unraveling the joint impact of a Mediterranean diet and strolling on dementia and cognitive decline.
Both the Mediterranean diet and regular strolling have been linked to brain health, yet this research aims to verify their synergistic effect.
The study, initiated by scientists from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, is still in progress.
Despite the setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic, the researchers have shared their processes and ongoing analysis in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Originally designed to evaluate cognitive abilities over a 2-year duration, timing and financial repercussions from the pandemic necessitated adjustments. The study is presently following participants for just one year.
The main finding the researchers are seeking is a 12-month alteration in visual memory and learning for participants.
Besides this primary objective, the research team is also interested in observing the intervention's impact on various areas, including mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
The study encompasses 60-90-year-old individuals residing in two Australian states - South Australia and Victoria. Subjects were sourced from independent living retirement communities, with additional recruitment from the broader public due to the pandemic.
Specific attention is being paid to biomarkers associated with cognitive decline, including glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
Subjects were assigned to either a "MedWalk intervention" group or a control group that maintained their usual diet and activity level.
The MedWalk intervention combines dietary adjustments with a supervised walking regimen, augmented with psychosocial behavioral change techniques. Participants receive substantial support for the first 6 months, with continued assistance available for the following 6 months to help them adhere to the plan.
The researchers offer guidance on the differences between a Mediterranean diet and an Australian diet, to better equip participants with the necessary understanding of this approach to eating.
Key components such as extra-virgin olive oil are provided complimentary, as they are crucial to a Mediterranean diet, along with other foods.
Following a baseline assessment of aerobic fitness, participants engage in group walking sessions for the first 6 months, followed by monthly sessions for the remainder of the test year.
The Mediterranean diet and cognitive health
Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist focusing on the Mediterranean diet, not directly involved in the current study, spoke to Medical News Today regarding potential cognitive benefits. Studies suggest that following a Mediterranean diet might decrease the incidence of dementia.
More research, such as that published in 2023, revealed associations between a Mediterranean diet and lower rates of Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia.
That being said, Middelmann cautioned that multiple factors can affect dementia risk, encompassing genetics, lifestyle, and overall health.
"An optimal diet, like the Mediterranean diet, is merely one facet of a comprehensive approach to brain health and dementia prevention," emphasized Middelmann.
A Mediterranean diet may foster brain health in multiple ways, according to Middelmann:
- Containing antioxidants that combat oxidative stress and inflammation, thought to play significant roles in cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Offering omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), essential for brain health. Research has indicated that omega-3s can improve cognitive function and lower the risk of cognitive decline.
- Featuring high fiber that can help sustain a healthy gut microbiome.
- Being low in processed grains and sugars, decreasing the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation.
- Discouraging the consumption of ultra-processed foods, believed to enhance dementia risk.
Finally, Middelmann noted that sharing meals with loved ones and regular exercise are additional facets of the Mediterranean diet associated with brain health.
How walking may safeguard cognition
Regular strolling has also been tied to slower cognitive decline.
A 2023 study discovered a dose-dependent relationship between the number of steps taken and decreased dementia risk.
Taking 10,000 steps daily could potentially halve the dangers of dementia
An earlier study in the United States and Australia found a link between walking speed and dementia. A 2017 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that aerobic exercise such as strolling could strengthen cognitive impairment.
"Strolling could enhance brain health by several means. Strolling might increase brain blood flow, depending on the exercise's intensity, duration, and frequency," explained brain health coach Ryan Glatt, unaffiliated with this research.
Additionally, Glatt elucidated, it might "boost levels of brain activity, and may diminish feelings of overall stress while improving feelings of well-being."
"Strolling might also incorporate social aspects and exposure to nature, both of which may also have brain benefits," added Glatt. The study's data-collection period is set to conclude by the end of 2023.
The ongoing study seeks to investigate the combined effects of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on dementia and cognitive decline.
The scientists, based in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, have shared their progress in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Despite pandemic-related setbacks, the original 2-year study was readjusted to follow participants for one year.
The research aims to detect a 12-month improvement in visual memory and learning for participants.
Besides the primary objective, the study also examines the intervention's impact on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and various biomarkers associated with cognitive decline.
Participants are either assigned to a 'MedWalk intervention' group or a control group maintaining their usual diet and activity level.
The MedWalk intervention combines dietary changes with a supervised walking regimen, supported by psychosocial behavioral change techniques.
Conner Middelmann, a Mediterranean diet expert, stated that studies suggest a Mediterranean diet may decrease the incidence of dementia.
He added that a Mediterranean diet boosts brain health through antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, lower processed grains and sugars, and reduced consumption of ultra-processed foods.
Regular strolling has also been linked to slower cognitive decline, potentially halving the risk of dementia with 10,000 steps daily.
