Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, Anti-inflammatory and Prudent diets all appear to offer protection against cognitive decline in older individuals

In February 2019 researchers from Australia published their review of the medical scientific literature to assess the impact of different dietary patterns on cognitive health of older individuals. The dietary patterns reviewed included Mediterranean, Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), anti-inflammatory, a healthy diet recommended by guidelines via dietaryindex, or Prudent healthy diets. Of the 38 studies included in this review, the Mediterranean diet was the most investigated with studies involving MIND, DASH, Anti-inflammatory, and Prudent healthy diets being more limited. Results showed that the Mediterranean diet appeared to offer protection against cognitive decline and that there were also promising results from the initial studies involving the MIND, DASH, anti-inflammatory and Prudent diets, especially for those at risk of cardiovascular disease. It should be noted that these dietary patterns are all plant-based, rich in poly- and mono-unsaturated fatty acids with a lower consumption of processed foods.

Chen X et al. Dietary Patterns and Cognitive Health in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. J Alzheimers Dis. 2019;67(2):583-619

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