Elderly people can boost their brain power by following a Mediterranean diet with either added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts – rather than a low-fat diet, researchers say today.
The first long-term study into the impact of the Mediterranean diet on the ageing brain boosts the increasing body of evidence into the effectiveness of the diet.
The work was undertaken by scientists led by Professor Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez, of the University of Navarra, Spain.
The research, published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, examined 522 men and women, all of whom were aged between 55 and 80. None had heart disease but were at high risk because of underlying problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, an unfavourable blood fat profile, a family history of early cardiovascular disease, or they were overweight or a smoker.
The participants, who were all enrolled in the PREDIMED trial that looked at how best to ward off cardiovascular disease, were randomly allocated a Mediterranean diet with added olive oil or mixed nuts, or to a low-fat diet that is typically recommended to prevent heart attack and stroke.
Participants had regular check-ups with their family doctor and quarterly checks on their compliance with their prescribed diet and 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.
At the end of the study period, 60 participants had developed mild cognitive impairment, 18 of whom were on the olive oil supplemented Mediterranean diet. A further 19 were on the diet with added mixed nuts, while there were 23 in the control group who had developed the impairment.
A further 35 people had 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 – characterised by consumption of virgin olive oil; high intake of fruits, nuts, vegetables and pulses; moderate to high portions of fish and seafood; low amount of dairy products and red meat; and moderate intake of red wine – compared with those on the low fat option.
Although the authors acknowledge that their sample size was small and involved a group at high vascular risk, theirs is the first long-term trial to look at the impact of the Mediterranean diet on brain power.
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