A new study led by NYU Grossman School of Medicine suggests that a midlife diet change can play a significant role in preventing memory loss and cognitive decline in later years, especially for women.
This finding is particularly relevant since women comprise over two-thirds of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.
Published in the journal “Alzheimer’s & Dementia,” the study offers hope to the roughly 6.5 million Americans over 65 diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2022, a number expected to double by 2060.
Dr. Yu Chen, a professor in the Department of Population Health and the study’s senior author, emphasizes the importance of early lifestyle interventions.
The study found that women who adhered to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet in their middle years were less likely to report cognitive issues decades later.
The DASH diet is known for its high intake of plant-based foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium, and for limiting saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar.
This diet is particularly significant considering the established link between high blood pressure in midlife and the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
The study involved analyzing data from 5,116 women out of over 14,000 enrolled in the NYU Women’s Health Study.
This long-term study investigates the impact of lifestyle and other factors on women’s health, including the development of common cancers and chronic conditions.
Participants, averaging 49 years old at the start, provided dietary information through questionnaires between 1985 and 1991.
They were followed for over 30 years, with an average age of 79 at follow-up, when they were asked about any cognitive complaints.
The study used six standard questions indicative of mild cognitive impairment, a precursor to dementia, to assess self-reported cognitive complaints.
These questions touched on difficulties with memory, understanding instructions or conversations, and navigation.
Remarkably, 33% of the women reported having more than one cognitive complaint. Those who closely followed the DASH diet saw a 17% reduction in the likelihood of reporting multiple cognitive issues.
Yixiao Song, a lead author of the study, stressed the importance of starting a healthy diet in middle age to prevent cognitive impairment later on.
Co-lead Fen Wu, PhD, added that following the DASH diet could potentially help prevent not only high blood pressure but also cognitive issues.
The researchers call for future studies across diverse racial and ethnic groups to validate the generalizability of their findings.
This study underlines the significance of dietary choices in midlife, not just for physical health but also for maintaining cognitive health in older age.
If you care about brain health, please read studies that walking patterns may help identify specific types of dementia, and common high blood pressure drugs may help lower your dementia risk.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about tooth disease linked to dementia, and results showing this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
The research findings can be found in Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
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