Diet could cut risk of dementia

A new study suggests a diet laden with fish, olive oil, veggies and other foods common in Mediterranean-style cuisine may help ward off mild cognitive impairment, sometimes called borderline dementia. The study also suggests this diet reduces the chance of transitioning from mild cognitive decline to Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers at Columbia examined, interviewed and screened 1,393 individuals with healthy brains and 482 patients with mild cognitive impairment. Study participants were questioned about their eating habits. The study, in this month's Archives of Neurology, reports that over an average of 4½ years of follow-up, 275 of the 1,393 study participants who did not have mild cognitive impairment developed the condition. Those who had the highest adherence to a Mediterranean diet — a menu rich in vegetables, legumes and fish, low in fat, meat and dairy, and high in monounsaturated fats like those in olive oil — had a 28% lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment than the one-third of participants who had the lowest scores for Mediterranean diet adherence. The middle one-third group had a 17% lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment than those who ate the fewest Mediterranean foods.

Bonnie - surprise, surprise...the Mediterranean diet surfaces once again as a dynamo. Do you think the USDA next round of dietary guidelines will adhere more to a Mediterranean-style diet? :)