A growing body of research suggests that the foods we eat may influence how well our brains age.
While there is still no cure for Alzheimer’s disease or most other forms of dementia, scientists continue to find evidence that healthy daily habits can lower the risk of memory problems. One of the most promising areas of research is diet, especially foods that help reduce long-term inflammation in the body.
A new study published in JAMA Network Open has found that older adults who regularly ate an anti-inflammatory diet were less likely to develop dementia over the next 15 years.
The benefit was especially clear among people who already had early biological signs linked to Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that healthy eating may help protect the brain even before symptoms appear.
The research was led by Anja Mrhar from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. The team analysed information from nearly 1,900 adults aged 60 years and older who were taking part in a large Swedish ageing study. None of the participants had dementia when they joined the project between 2001 and 2004.
The volunteers were followed for as long as 15 years. During that time they completed food questionnaires, gave blood samples and underwent regular health examinations. This allowed the researchers to compare long-term eating habits with later brain health.
The scientists focused on three blood markers linked with Alzheimer’s disease. Tau is a protein that can build up into harmful tangles inside brain cells. Neurofilament light chain, often called NfL, is released when brain cells are damaged.
Glial fibrillary acidic protein, or GFAP, rises when support cells in the brain respond to injury. Higher levels of these markers suggest that harmful brain changes may already be developing.
The study found that people with higher levels of these markers still benefited from healthy eating. Among people with raised tau levels, those who followed a more anti-inflammatory diet had about a 29 percent lower risk of dementia. The risk was 21 percent lower among those with higher NfL and 27 percent lower among those with increased GFAP.
An anti-inflammatory diet usually includes plenty of vegetables, fruit, berries, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil and fish. These foods provide fibre, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that help reduce inflammation. At the same time, people are encouraged to limit highly processed foods, sugary drinks, excessive red meat and foods rich in unhealthy fats.
Inflammation is a normal part of the body’s defence system. However, when it continues for many years it may damage blood vessels and brain cells. Scientists believe this long-term inflammation may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
Experts who reviewed the study said the findings support existing advice that healthy eating, regular exercise, enough sleep and good control of blood pressure and diabetes all work together to support brain health. Diet alone cannot completely prevent dementia, but it may lower risk and slow progression.
The study cannot prove that diet directly prevented dementia because it was an observational study. Other healthy lifestyle habits may also have contributed to the results. Even so, the long follow-up period and repeated health checks strengthen confidence in the findings.
This study provides encouraging evidence that an anti-inflammatory diet may protect the brain, even in people who already show early signs of Alzheimer’s-related changes. Although it does not prove cause and effect, it suggests that healthy food choices may influence how brain disease develops over many years.
Future studies, including clinical trials, are needed to confirm whether changing diet alone can reduce dementia risk. Even now, following eating patterns such as the Mediterranean or DASH diet remains a practical and low-risk step that may benefit both the brain and the heart.
If you care about brain health, please read studies about inflammation that may actually slow down cognitive decline in older people, and low vitamin D may speed up cognitive decline.
For more health information, please see recent studies about common exercises that could protect against cognitive decline, and results showing that this MIND diet may protect your cognitive function, prevent dementia.
