Alzheimer’s disease – Mediterranean Diet
reduces risk of getting Alzheimer’s
April 18th, 2006
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A study of
Americans that ate a Mediterranean diet had a reduced risk for getting
Alzheimer’s disease in their old age. The report was first published in
the April issue of the Annals of Neurology.
According to
Oldway’s website they depict the Mediterranean diet along with other
food pyramids based on cultures. A Mediterranean diet includes lots of
vegetables and fruits, whole grains, rice, pasta, beans, legumes and
nuts are eaten on a daily basis. Olive oil and other plant oils along
with cheese and yogurt are all part of a daily eating plan. Fish,
poultry, eggs, and sweets are on a weekly basis, with red meat being
eaten on a monthly basis.
Previous research
has tested individual food choices to see if Alzheimer’s disease risk
could be reduced. The results on individual foods have had mixed
results depending on the studies. Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia
University Medical Center along with his colleagues decided to study the
Mediterranean diet and the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. By studying
a complete dietary approach they hoped to see if this would add
consistency to lowering a person’s risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease
later in life.
The study was
funded by the NIH/NIA and had 2,258 people participate that were not
demented at the time the study began. They were all in New York City.
The participants were assessed with a standardized physical and
neurological exam to measure for any signs of dementia. Every 18 months
the participants would come back for a period of 4 years to be assessed
for any changes in dementia.
They surveyed the
participants using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.
Based on the survey they graded how closely each person was following a
Mediterranean Diet and would assign a score of 0 – 9. A person with a
score of 0 was the farthest from following the Mediterranean diet while
rating of 9 was the closest match. During time of the study they
diagnosed Alzheimer’s disease in 262 of the participants.
The researchers
found that the closer the participants followed a Mediterranean diet the
lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. If they were rated at
a 9 they were following the Mediterranean diet. Each point of the scale
rating the Alzheimer’s risk dropped by 9 – 10 percent when compared to
the 0 rated group. If the person was rated in the middle they had
around a 15 – 21 percent reduced risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Those
that were the closest at following the Mediterranean diet had a 39 – 40
percent reduced risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Even when the
researchers factored in other factors such as age, gender, ethnicity,
education, caloric intake, BMI, smoking and other health conditions, the
reduced risk for developing Alzheimer’s by eating a Mediterranean diet
was still seen.
The researchers do
warn that since the subject’s diet was a survey, it may have had a
variation of data. They believe it could be an underestimation. The
diagnosis of dementia was a standardized tests and they feel that the
diagnosis of the Alzheimer’s cases were acceptable.
The Mediterranean
diet has also shown to be beneficial for the heart as well as the
brain. This research has shown how dietary approach can be used to
treat disease by prevention.
By Nicole Wilson
Best Syndication
Books on
Mediterranean Diet at Amazon
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