Study: an effective diet will help maintain attention and memory in old age

Scientists have found that, thanks to diet MINDyou can slow down brain aging and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment in older age.

It includes The best elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets that aim to protect the brain from agingsays in published in the journal Neurology study results.

IFL Science publication tellsWhat vitamins, carotenoids and flavonoidsThe foods contained in this diet reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Scientists are convinced that this may protect cognitive function.

The name of the MIND diet stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It is based on:

• vegetables – spinach, kale and collard greens,
• whole grain products,
• olive oil,
• bird and fish,
• legumes,
• nuts.

Particular attention is paid berries – they are recommended to be consumed more often than other fruits. Also It is important to eat fish at least once a week, and poultry twice a week or more often.

Scientists advise limiting consumption of red meat to four times a week, and sweets to five times.. Cheese, fried foods and butter should be consumed minimally. Study author Dr. Russell P. Sawyer of the University of Cincinnati notes:

“With the increasing number of people living with dementia, it is critically important to find ways to slow or prevent the development of cognitive decline.”

More than 14 thousand people took part in the study, with an average age of 64 years. Scientists followed them for ten years, studying data on their eating habits and cognitive abilities. Participants also completed a questionnaire about how their diet aligned with the MIND diet guidelines.

The researchers measured cognitive and memory abilities at the beginning and end of the study, comparing adherence to the MIND diet with cases of cognitive impairment and overall cognitive performance, taking into account various factors: age, gender, race, health status, lifestyle.

The study showed that women who followed this diet had a lower risk of developing cognitive impairmentwhile no such connection was found in men. People on the MIND diet experienced slower cognitive decline with age. For black participants, the effect of diet was greater than for white participants. Sawyer concluded:

“These findings require further study, particularly regarding differences in impact between men and women, and across different racial groups. But importantly, simple dietary changes can actually help reduce or delay the risk of cognitive impairment.”

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