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Mediterranean Diet Can Reduce Alzheimer’s Disease Risk

September 29th, 2009

The Mediterranean diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, olive oil, cereals, nuts, fish, and legumes, and deemphasizes meat and dairy products. Consumption of the Mediterranean diet is believed to aid in the prevention of several diseases while supporting general good health.

Eating a Mediterranean diet and increasing physical activity levels can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a recent study. The latest research findings indicate that healthy living can aid in combating cognitive decline.

“There is some evidence that a healthy diet, the Mediterranean diet, may be protective for our risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease,” says Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas, study author and assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. “In the current study we wanted to see if there was an independent effect of physical activity and diet.”

Following both healthy habits can enhance health.

Scarmeas and his researchers examined 1,880 men and women without dementia living in New York, average age 77, and gave them tests every 1.5 years from 1992 to 2006. The participants were evaluated on how well they followed a Mediterranean diet and their weekly participation in physical activities.

Those in the most active group got a median of 1.3 hours of vigorous exercise or 2.4 hours of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. Researchers followed the study participants for an average of 5.4 years; 282 developed Alzheimer’s disease.

“There was an association between both a healthy diet and physical activity and reducing risk for Alzheimer’s disease,” Scarmeas says.

Those who ate well and exercised had a 60 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared with those who didn’t follow either of the two healthy habits.

Which elements of the Mediterranean diet that confer health benefit is not determined. A healthy diet may aid in prevention of the development of Alzheimer’s disease but only when combined with regular exercise. Several prior studies have shown an association of the Mediterranean diet with enhanced health.

For information about diet for health and wellness call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500. 

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