New Research On How The MIND Diet Correlates To Dementia Risk

The link between diet and dementia risk is impossible to deny. Dozens of studies have established a connection between the two, and health experts are now starting to refer to Alzheimer's disease, a type of dementia, as "Type 3" diabetes.

In recent years, evidence has been mounting that lifestyle factors, including nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress, greatly affect dementia risk. When it comes to nutrition, experts claim that ultra-processed foods—think hot dogs, French fries, chips, sodas, cakes, and ice cream—can set you up for cognitive decline. And now, a new study shows us a way of eating that actually decreases dementia risk. 

Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association1, this study evaluated data from over 8,000 middle-aged and older men and women from 11 cohort studies. All of the participants began the study period without dementia. Researchers used surveys to collect nutritional data from the participants, who were each given a score from 0 to 15 based on how closely they followed a way of eating defined as the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay2, or MIND diet. The higher the score, the more closely their diet aligned with the MIND diet. The average score among participants was 8.3 out of 15. 

The Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay is a bit of a mouthful, but it's named that for a good reason. The diet was first introduced in a series of papers by the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and Martha Clare Morris, Ph.D., at Rush University Medical Center. They showed that both the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet had already demonstrated the ability to help prevent dementia. The researchers took this information and developed a protocol that combined both diets, which wasn't too difficult since they both feature mostly plant-based foods and little to no processed foods, saturated fats, or red meat. 

Dementia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, so it behooves us all to adopt mind-friendly habits. On top of adjusting our diet to be more MIND-friendly, here are three research-backed habits to protect your brain health long term. 

Don't stay sedentary: When it comes to cognitive decline and dementia, staying active is everything. One meta-analysis of existing research showed that regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing dementia by 30%. It doesn't matter how you do it; it just matters that you do it. From CrossFit to gardening to pickleball, active is active! 

Consume memory-supporting nutrients: As is the case with inflammation or mood health, certain nutrients play a special role in memory and cognition. These are often referred to as nootropics and include nutrients like omega-3s, curcumin, and ginseng. Not sure where to start? Try one of these 16 memory-supporting supplements that offer a concentrated amount of brain-healthy nutrients to help keep your mind sharp.