Maintaining Cognitive Wellness: Adopting Mediterranean Diet and Regular Exercise as Preventive Measures
Investigating the Combined Effect of Mediterranean Diet and Walking on Dementia and Cognitive Decline
Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are currently conducting a study to assess the combined impact of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on dementia and cognitive decline. The study, known in shorthand as the "MedWalk" intervention, is ongoing, having been temporarily paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The "MedWalk" intervention combines dietary modification, such as adopting a Mediterranean diet, with a supervised walking regimen, supplemented by psychosocial behavioral change techniques. The primary focus of the study is to observe a 12-month change in visual memory and learning for participants, with additional interest in its effects on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and various biomarkers associated with cognitive decline.
Participants in the study are 60 to 90-year-olds living in South Australia and Victoria, recruited from independent living retirement communities, as well as from the wider community due to the pandemic's influence. The study had originally been planned for a two-year assessment period, but changes necessitated by the pandemic have reduced the follow-up period to one year.
Previous research has linked both the Mediterranean diet and regular exercise to better overall brain health. This study aims to build on that knowledge by exploring the combined benefits of these interventions on cognitive health and potentially reducing the risk of dementia.
Mark Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet, commented to Medical News Today that while studies suggest a link between the Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk of dementia, it is essential to remember that many factors can influence dementia risk, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health. As Middelmann emphasized, maintaining a balanced diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, is just one aspect of a comprehensive approach to brain health and dementia prevention.
Walking regularly is also associated with slower cognitive decline. A study found that taking 10,000 steps a day could lower the risk of dementia by 50%. Walking's potential benefits to brain health may involve increased brain blood flow, improved cognitive function, reduced stress, and exposure to nature, among other factors.
The study is expected to release its findings at the end of 2023. If successful, this study may contribute to the development of public health recommendations for reducing dementia risk and inform community-based initiatives promoting healthy aging.
- The current study, dubbed "MedWalk," investigates the combined effects of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on dementia and cognitive decline.
- The study focuses on observing a 12-month change in visual memory and learning for participants, including its impact on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and biomarkers associated with cognitive decline.
- Participants, aged 60 to 90, hail from South Australia and Victoria, with some recruited from retirement communities and the wider community due to the pandemic's influence.
- Mark Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist, states that while studies suggest a link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced dementia risk, it's crucial to remember that genetics, lifestyle, and overall health also play significant roles.
- In addition to the Mediterranean diet, regular walking is associated with slower cognitive decline, with a study suggesting that taking 10,000 steps a day could lower the risk of dementia by 50%.
- If successful, the study may contribute to the development of public health recommendations for reducing dementia risk and inform community-based initiatives promoting healthy aging and mental health, including nutrition, fitness-and-exercise, and health-and-wellness.
