Maintaining cognitive health: Adopting a Mediterranean diet and living an active lifestyle could potentially offer protection.
Combined Mediterranean Diet and Walking Intervention May Slow Cognitive Decline and Dementia
Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are exploring the potential benefits of a unique lifestyle intervention called "MedWalk" for reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease.
The MedWalk intervention combines a Mediterranean diet with a regular walking program, specifically designed to enhance brain health. With ongoing follow-up for a wider sample of participants, data collection is expected to conclude by the end of 2023. The study, originally planned for a 2-year assessment, has been condensed to a single year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The primary focus of the study is to examine the impact of the MedWalk intervention on visual memory and learning over a 12-month period. Researchers are also investigating its effects on other aspects such as mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
Individuals between 60 and 90 years old living in South Australia and Victoria are participating in the study. Participants have been recruited from independent living retirement communities, as well as from the larger community due to the pandemic's impact.
Special attention is being paid to biomarkers associated with cognitive decline, including glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress. Participants have been divided into two groups: an intervention group following the MedWalk lifestyle and a control group maintaining their usual diet and activity level.
The MedWalk lifestyle incorporates a Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and moderate amounts of fish and poultry, while avoiding red meat, processed foods, and sweets. In addition to dietary guidance, participants engage in supervised walking sessions for the first 6 months, with monthly sessions thereafter.
Previous research has suggested that adhering to a Mediterranean diet may contribute to brain health in several ways, such as combating oxidative stress and inflammation, supporting optimal nerve cell function, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, and reducing insulin resistance.
Walking regularly is also linked to slower cognitive decline, with a dose-dependent relationship between the number of steps taken and the reduced risk of dementia. A daily goal of 10,000 steps has been associated with a 50% reduction in dementia risk.
Certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann, who specializes in the Mediterranean diet, explained that while studies support a link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced dementia risk, other factors, such as genetics, lifestyle, and overall health, can influence dementia risk. Middelmann emphasized that maintaining a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet, is just one aspect of a comprehensive approach to brain health and dementia prevention.
Brain health coach Ryan Glatt from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute also stressed that regular walking may improve cognitive function and lower dementia risk by enhancing brain blood flow, boosting exercise-related brain activity, and reducing feelings of stress. Walking might also incorporate social elements and exposure to nature, both of which may further support brain health.
If successful, the MedWalk intervention could offer a low-cost, accessible solution for reducing the global rise in dementia cases.
- The MedWalk intervention, a combination of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking program, is being studied for its potential to slow cognitive decline and dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease.
- Researchers are investigating the impact of MedWalk on visual memory and learning, mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and biomarkers associated with cognitive decline.
- Participants in the study, aged 60 to 90, are following either the MedWalk lifestyle or maintaining their usual diet and activity level for a 12-month period.
- Maintaining a healthy diet, like the Mediterranean diet, is one aspect of a comprehensive approach to brain health and dementia prevention, as emphasized by certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann.
- Brain health coach Ryan Glatt from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute highlighted that regular walking may improve cognitive function by enhancing brain blood flow, boosting exercise-related brain activity, and reducing stress.
- If successful, the MedWalk intervention could provide a low-cost, accessible solution for addressing the global rise in dementia cases, offering hope for improved mental health and fitness-and-exercise in older adults.
