Introduction
Eating a certain type of diet could increase your risk of developing dementia, according to a new study. The study, published in the journal Neurology, found that people who ate a diet high in saturated fat and low in healthy fats, such as those found in fish, nuts, and olive oil, were more likely to develop dementia than those who ate a healthier diet. The findings suggest that making simple changes to your diet could help reduce your risk of developing dementia. In this article, we’ll discuss the findings of the study and provide tips on how to eat a healthier diet to reduce your risk of dementia.
This Diet Could Increase Your Dementia Risk, New Study Finds — Eat This Not That
A new study has found that a diet high in saturated fat and sugar could increase your risk of developing dementia. The study, published in the journal Neurology, looked at the diets of over 9,000 people over the age of 55 and found that those who ate a diet high in saturated fat and sugar were more likely to develop dementia than those who ate a healthier diet.
The study found that those who ate a diet high in saturated fat and sugar had a 44% higher risk of developing dementia than those who ate a healthier diet. The researchers also found that those who ate a diet high in saturated fat and sugar were more likely to have a lower cognitive score than those who ate a healthier diet.
The researchers suggest that eating a diet high in saturated fat and sugar could increase your risk of developing dementia. They recommend that people should focus on eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, and limit their intake of saturated fat and sugar.
Eating a healthy diet is important for overall health, and it can also help reduce your risk of developing dementia. Eating a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help keep your brain healthy and reduce your risk of developing dementia.
If you are concerned about your risk of developing dementia, it is important to talk to your doctor about your diet and lifestyle. Your doctor can help you make changes to your diet and lifestyle that can help reduce your risk of developing dementia.
More than 55 million people around the globe have dementia, and approximately 10 million new cases are diagnosed every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The progressive condition is currently the seventh most common cause of death globally, affecting not only those diagnosed but also their caregivers and loved ones.
While genetic factors can play a role in your likelihood to develop dementia, new research suggests there’s yet another major contributor: your diet.
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An October 2021 study published in the journal iScience found that mice fed a typical Western diet over a 12-week period showed increases in oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines, both of which have been independently linked to cognitive impairment, as well as specific biochemical changes in the brain and alterations to behavior.
“These data suggest that a western diet produces cognitive decline and neurodegeneration,” specifically related to alterations in the body’s signaling of Na,K-ATPase, a type of enzyme found in cells, the study’s authors explained.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re doomed to suffer eventual cognitive decline if you’ve eaten a high-fat, high-sugar diet in the past. “Dietary modulation to avoid exacerbation of oxidative stress in adipocytes might be worth examining in clinical neurodegeneration,” noted senior study author Joseph Shapiro, MD, vice president and dean of Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.
This isn’t the first time that a Western-style diet has been linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline, however.
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A 2019 study published in Neurology, which studied 1,600 Japanese adults without signs of dementia over a 10-year period, found that individuals who had higher levels of harmful trans fats—commonly found in processed foods—in their bloodstream were more likely to develop dementia.
In fact, the groups with the two highest measures of serum trans fats were 74% and 52% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
Similarly, a 2021 study published in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease found that individuals with the highest consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages had significantly higher risks of all types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, as compared to those who drank no sugar-sweetened drinks.
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