Maintaining Brain Health: Adopting Mediterranean Diet and Active Lifestyle Can Provide Protection
A cutting-edge investigation explores the joint impact of a Mediterranean diet and walking on dementia and cognitive decline rates.
Scientists are digging deep to discover if embracing the "MedWalk lifestyle" could lead to a decreased risk of cognitive decline and various dementia types, such as Alzheimer's. MedWalk is a shorthand for coupling a Mediterranean diet with regular walks.
Earlier studies suggest a correlation between both a Mediterranean diet and regular walking with enhanced brain health.
This innovative study is driven by researchers hailing from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Initially designed to unfold over two years, the study was altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic's disruption. However, the scientists are persisting with the research and have expanded their participant pool.
The main focus of the scientists is assessing the 12-month change in visual memory and learning for trial participants.
Besides scrutinizing visual memory and learning, the researchers are interested in observing the intervention's impact on mood, quality of life, health costs, and underlying health conditions like cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness.
The participants are 60-90-year-old Australian and Victorian residents. They were primarily sourced from independent living retirement communities, with additional recruits emerging from the general public as a response to pandemic limitations.
The researchers pay attention to markers relevant to cognitive decline, such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
Participants have been assigned to either the MedWalk intervention group or a control group maintaining their current diet and activity levels.
The intervention involves dietary modifications alongside a guided walking regimen, coupled with psychological behavioral change techniques. Participants receive intensive support for the initial six months, followed by ongoing assistance for the subsequent six to help them adhere to the MedWalk lifestyle.
The researchers offer an insight into the Mediterranean diet principles by providing instruction on the nuances between the Mediterranean diet and the typical Australian diet. Additional olive oil and other essential dietary elements are offered for free to participants to make adhering to the dietary changes more manageable.
Following an initial assessment of aerobic fitness, participants partake in group walking sessions for the first six months, followed by monthly sessions for the remaining trial period.
The Mediterranean diet, cognition, and dementia risk
Certified nutritionist, Conner Middelmann, spoke to Medical News Today about her opinion on the connection between the Mediterranean diet and dementia. She noted that multiple studies suggest a link between the Mediterranean diet and fewer dementia cases.
Research, such as studies in [2016] and [2019], has demonstrated an association between a Mediterranean diet and lower rates of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia.
Middelmann, however, issued a word of caution: "[w]hile these studies imply a connection between the Mediterranean diet and a decreased dementia risk, it's vital to consider that numerous factors can influence dementia risk, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health."
Middelmann asserts that maintaining a balanced diet is merely one facet of a holistic approach to brain health and dementia prevention.
The Mediterranean diet may contribute to brain health in several ways, as Middelmann explained:
- The diet is brimming with antioxidants that fight oxidative stress and inflammation, believed to be substantial contributors to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
- It contains omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), crucial for brain health, and omega-3s have been linked to improved cognitive function and reduced cognitive decline risk.
- The Mediterranean diet is fiber-rich, aiding in maintaining a balanced gut microbiome.
- It is devoid of processed grains and sugars, lowering the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation.
- The consumption of ultra-processed foods, linked to dementia, is not advocated in the diet.
- Sharing meals with loved ones and engaging in regular exercise are other aspects of the Mediterranean diet associated with improved brain health.
The role of walking in cognitive protection
Regular walking has been linked with a slower cognitive decline rate.
A study found a linear correlation between the number of steps taken and the reduced risk of dementia. The study revealed that taking 10,000 steps a day lowered the dementia risk by 50%.
Another study in the United States and Australia discovered a connection between walking speed and dementia, and a 2017 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that aerobic exercise like walking can mitigate cognitive impairment.
Brain health coach Ryan Glatt from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute further explained the potential benefits of walking on brain health.
Walking may increase brain blood flow, improve cognitive functioning, reduce stress, and enhance feelings of well-being, all contributing to cognitive protection. Besides, incorporating social elements and exposure to nature while walking may also have brain benefits.
The MedWalk intervention study's data collection period will be completed by the end of 2023.
- Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist, believes that numerous studies imply a connection between the Mediterranean diet and a decreased risk of dementia.
- Studies in 2016 and 2019 have demonstrated an association between a Mediterranean diet and lower rates of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia.
- Middelmann, however, emphasizes the need to consider that multiple factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health, influence dementia risk.
- Middelmann contends that maintaining a balanced diet is just one facet of a holistic approach to brain health and dementia prevention.
- The Mediterranean diet is rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and devoid of processed grains and sugars, which could contribute to brain health in various ways.
- Regular walking has been linked with a slower cognitive decline rate, and taking 10,000 steps a day may lower the dementia risk by 50%.
- A study in the United States and Australia discovered a connection between walking speed and dementia, while another study concluded that aerobic exercise like walking can mitigate cognitive impairment.
- Brain health coach Ryan Glatt from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute explains that walking may increase brain blood flow, improve cognitive functioning, reduce stress, and enhance feelings of well-being, all contributing to cognitive protection.
- The research on the joint impact of the Mediterranean diet and walking on dementia and cognitive decline rates, known as the MedWalk intervention study, will complete its data collection period by the end of 2023.
