ASN: MIND diet reduces the risk of dementia

An international team of scientists found out that following the MIND diet can significantly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. This is reported by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN).

The MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) combines elements of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH approach, aimed at reducing blood pressure by reducing salt, sugar and saturated fat. It emphasizes brain-healthy foods such as leafy vegetables, berries, nuts and olive oil.

The study was based on data from nearly 93,000 Americans between the ages of 45 and 75 collected since the 1990s. During that time, more than 21,000 participants experienced dementia. However, people who strictly adhered to the MIND diet had a 9 percent lower risk of dementia.

“Our results confirm: healthy eating habits in middle age and old age, and improving them over time, may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease,” said study co-author Son-Yi Park, an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. 

Interestingly, Asian Americans and Hawaii residents did not show a statistically significant effect of the diet. Researchers hypothesize that this is due to differences in traditional dietary practices and the baseline lower incidence of disease in these groups. They emphasize the need for cultural sensitivity in developing recommendations.

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