Research shows Mediterranean diet may reduce risk for cognitive decline

NBC Reports “A diet that is rich in seafood, fruit, vegetables, nuts and olive oil may lower the risk of dementia, a new study suggests.

An analysis of data from more than 60,000 seniors revealed that choosing to follow a Mediterranean diet reduces a person’s likelihood of developing dementia by nearly one quarter, even among those with genes that put that at greater risk, according to the report published Monday in the medical journal BMC Medicine.

“The main take home message from this study is that, even for individuals with a higher genetic risk, consuming a more Mediterranean-like diet could reduce the likelihood of developing dementia,” said the study’s lead author, Oliver Shannon, a lecturer in human nutrition and aging at Newcastle University.”