20-Year Study Reveals That a Famed Diet Doesn't Do Much to Reduce Dementia Risk

A 20-year study from Sweden shows that a Mediterranean diet does not lower the risk of dementia.

The results of previous studies of the cognitive benefits of the Mediterranean diet have been mixed.

There is no evidence that the Mediterranean diet reduces dementia risk or that diet quality affects it.

A new study casts doubt on the benefits of the diet.

There was no correlation between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and later incidence of dementia according to the first author.

The findings are in line with previous studies of similar size and length.

Similar to previous studies, the research relied on self- reported data from participants, which may not be entirely accurate and can skew the results.

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The effect of diet on dementia

The Mediterranean diet was derived from Ancel's research on the link between men's diet and their risk of cardiovascular disease.

Ancel and Margaret were inspired by Greek, Italian, and other Mediterranean cuisines to write their popular diet books.

The Mediterranean diet could reduce the risk of dementia by protecting against cardiovascular disease.

Maintaining a healthy diet can help lower the risk of dementia due to plaque build-up in arteries, strokes, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

The Swedish study suggests that diet alone does not have a noticeable influence on the course of cognitive function in later life.

"Diet as a singular factor may not have a strong enough effect on cognitive function, but is more likely to be considered as one factor embedded with various others, the sum of which may influence the course of cognitive function," said Dr.

Keeping one's blood pressure in check is one of the factors that are included in the other factors. Evidence shows that regular physical activity and consistent blood pressure control are more important than diet in protecting against cognitive decline.

About 28,000 people took part in the Malm Diet and Cancer Study in the 1990s.

The average age of the study's participants was 58 years old, and they provided a week-long food diary, a detailed questionnaire, and an interview about their diet.

The research team gave each participant a score based on how strictly they followed the standard Swedish diet or the Mediterranean diet.

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Almost 7 percent of the participants were diagnosed with some form of dementia over the next two decades. Two of the most common forms of dementia are dementia related to Alzheimer's disease and arteriosclerosis.

The researchers found that people who stuck to either a conventional diet or the Mediterranean diet had a lower incidence of dementia than people who didn't. They did not find a correlation between diet and a specific marker of Alzheimer's disease.

The study didn't show a specific effect of diet on cognitive function. They noted that the work does have its limitations.

The baseline information collected from each participant may not reflect how their diet has changed over time. Study participants may have mis reported their diet.

A randomized controlled trial is the best way to test the effects of the Mediterranean diet on cognitive function. In such a trial, participants would be asked to follow specific diet plans and be monitored for signs of dementia throughout the trial.

It is not possible to design a 20-year randomized controlled trial with strict diet habits.

There are some shorter term trials on the Alzheimer's.gov website. The evidence shows that the Mediterranean diet isn't a panacea for dementia prevention.

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The original article was published by Live Science. The original article can be found here.