Named diet that protects against dementia

Revolution in Alzheimer's Prevention: Scientists Prove Effectiveness of MIND Diet in Fighting Dementia

The MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet, combining the best principles of the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet, can become a real shield against Alzheimer's disease. This diet, which limits salt, sugar, and saturated fats, emphasizes foods that stimulate brain function: green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, legumes, and olive oil.

A large-scale study covering almost 93 thousand Americans aged 45-75 revealed impressive results. Observations that began in the 1990s showed that among participants who strictly followed the principles of the MIND diet, the risk of developing dementia decreased by 9%, despite the fact that during the study period more than 21 thousand people faced this disease.

"Our results confirm that healthy eating habits in middle and old age, as well as their gradual improvement, can reduce the likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease," emphasized Son-Yi Park, associate professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and one of the leading authors of the study.

Notably, the protective effect of the diet did not manifest in representatives of the Asian-American community and residents of Hawaii. Scientists attribute this to the peculiarities of the traditional diet of these groups and initially lower incidence rates. Researchers note the need to take cultural characteristics into account when developing dietary recommendations for different population groups.