Scientists from the University of Barcelona found that older people who follow a Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of mental decline. The research was published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research.
840 people over the age of 65 participated in the study, which lasted 12 years. Scientists compared blood levels of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, polyphenol metabolites and other substances, the concentration of which increases when following the Mediterranean diet. This type of diet involves limiting your intake of red meat, sugar, and processed foods and increasing your intake of vegetables, legumes, fruits, grains, dairy products, and fish rich in healthy fats.
Patients with the highest levels of biomarkers indicating adherence to the Mediterranean diet experienced a much slower decline in mental function than those following a different diet. Previous studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet is associated with better mental performance in older people. However, the new study fares favorably in terms of objectivity, as the scientists used blood parameters rather than questionnaires to assess patients’ nutrition.
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