Mediterranean Diet Boosts Ageing Brain

A Mediterranean diet with added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts seems to improve the brain power of older people better than advising them to follow a low-fat diet, indicates research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.

The authors from the University of Navarra in Spain base their findings on 522 men and women aged between 55 and 80 without cardiovascular disease but at high vascular risk because of underlying disease/conditions.

These included either type 2 diabetes or three of the following: high blood pressure; an unfavourable blood fat profile; overweight; a family history of early cardiovascular disease; and being a smoker.

Participants, who were all taking part in the PREDIMED trial looking at how best to ward off cardiovascular disease, were randomly allocated to a Mediterranean diet with added olive oil or mixed nuts or a control group receiving advice to follow the low-fat diet typically recommended to prevent heart attack and stroke

A Mediterranean diet is characterised by the use of virgin olive oil as the main culinary fat; high consumption of fruits, nuts, vegetables and pulses; moderate to high consumption of fish and seafood; low consumption of dairy products and red meat; and moderate intake of red wine.

Participants had regular check-ups with their family doctor and quarterly checks on their compliance with their prescribed diet.

After an average of 6.5 years, they were tested for signs of cognitive decline using a Mini Mental State Exam and a clock drawing test, which assess higher brain functions, including orientation, memory, language, visuospatial and visuoconstrution abilities and executive functions such as working memory, attention span, and abstract thinking.

At the end of the study period, 60 participants had developed mild cognitive impairment: 18 on the olive oil supplemented Mediterranean diet; 19 on the diet with added mixed nuts; and 23 on the control group.

A further 35 people developed dementia: 12 on the added olive oil diet; six on the added nut diet; and 17 on the low fat diet.

The average scores on both tests were significantly higher for those following either of the Mediterranean diets compared with those on the low fat option.

These findings held true irrespective of other influential factors, including age, family history of cognitive impairment or dementia, the presence of ApoE protein--associated with Alzheimers disease--educational attainment, exercise levels, vascular risk factors; energy intake and depression.

The authors acknowledge that their sample size was relatively small, and that because the study involved a group at high vascular risk, it doesnt necessarily follow that their findings are applicable to the general population.

But they say, theirs is the first long term trial to look at the impact of the Mediterranean diet on brain power, and that it adds to the increasing body of evidence suggesting that a high quality dietary pattern seems to protect cognitive function in the ageing brain.

2 The Most Effective Diet Is The Mediterranean Diet And Low Carbohydrate

To lose weight, many kinds of diet programs have been introduced to the public. The methods also vary, ranging from a low carb diet, low in protein or fat diet, water diet to diet by eating certain fruits.

But effective or not this diet method depends on the physical condition of each person, including how long this diet can be practiced consistently by the perpetrator.

Based on the study of a team of researchers from Israel during the four-year period found that the Mediterranean diet is a diet that is fairly effective and can be used in the long term.

The Mediterranean diet is a diet which recommends the consumption of fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil. Diet is also dominated by low-sugar foods and low in saturated fats such as butter, including reducing meat consumption.

The conclusion came after the researchers followed a number of participants who were asked to undergo one of the three methods of weight loss diet that is low in calories and fat; Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate diet, and a low carb diet without calorie restriction. 86 percent of participants were male and most were obese at the start of the study.
Within two years, 85 percent of participants were still running the diet program. Even participants who did the Mediterranean diet and the low-carbohydrate diet lost more weight than low-fat dieters, although other dieters also lost weight.

However, when the study is completed four years later, the participants were still consistent with the diet program is only 67 percent. 11 percent have changed the type of diet while 22 percent of participants actually stop dieting altogether.

In detail, participants who lost weight most are participants who use and low-carbohydrate Mediterranean diet for six years. The drop reaches 2-3 pounds. However, cholesterol levels of all participants showed significant improvement.

These findings suggest that dieters gain the Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate diet effects on cholesterol levels better than other dieters, including less weight gain back.