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More Research Needed on Mediterranean Diet & Cognition

To get a better understanding of how the Mediterranean diet relates to brain health, researchers analyzed existing randomized controlled trials (the “gold standard” of nutrition research, where participants are randomly assigned to one diet or another, so that researchers can look for causal relationships). Thus far only 5 randomized controlled trials on the Mediterranean diet and cognition have been published, with mostly insignificant results. However, the researchers did note that the most well-designed studies (using PREDIMED data) are the studies that found a protective effect on dementia risk and cognition, indicating that the Mediterranean diet might hold promise in these areas. More research is needed.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018 Mar 1;107(3):389-404. (Radd-Vagenas S et al.)

Mediterranean-Inspired Diet May Slow Cognitive Decline in Stroke Survivors

Stroke survivors are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to the general population. To see how diet relates to brain health in stroke survivors, researchers analyzed the eating patterns and brain function of 106 stroke survivors for more than 4 years. Those most closely following a “MIND diet” had a slower rate of cognitive decline than those who don’t follow a MIND diet. The MIND diet is a hybrid Mediterranean-DASH diet that emphasizes foods associated with brain health, including whole grains, green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, and fish. The Mediterranean diet is well-known for its brain benefits, so it’s not surprising that this new diet inspired by the Mediterranean diet is also showing promise for brain health. 
Presentation at the American Heart Association Meeting. Los Angeles, California. January 25, 2018. 

Healthy Diet Associated with Less Severe Symptoms in MS

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition in which the immune system attacks the nerves. Because the symptoms and severity vary widely from patient to patient, researchers wonder whether lifestyle changes might help with disease management. In a study of 6,989 patients with multiple sclerosis, those eating a healthy diet (defined as lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains, and only small amounts of sugars and red/processed meat) were less likely to report having disability and depression. Additionally, an overall healthy lifestyle (based on diet, physical activity, smoking, and weight) was associated with less fatigue, depression, pain and cognitive impairment. 
Neurology. 2018 Jan 2;90(1):e1-e11. (Fitzgerald KC et al.)

Eating Seafood Linked with Better Sleep Quality and Verbal IQ in Children

Researchers analyzed the eating patterns, IQ tests, and sleep patterns (based on parents’ report) of 541 12-year-old children in China. Those eating fish at least 2-4 times per month were significantly less likely to have sleep problems, and also had significantly better verbal IQ scores than children who ate fish less frequently. The researchers also found a dose-response relationship, meaning that the more often children ate fish, the better their IQ score. Their results indicate that better sleep quality may partially help explain the relationship between fish and brain function.
Scientific Reports. 2017 Dec 21;7(1):17961. (Liu J et al.)

Leafy Greens Can Keep Your Brain Young

It is no secret that green vegetables are some of the healthiest foods for our bodies, but new research shows that they are also good for our brains. Researchers in Chicago and Boston analyzed the eating patterns and cognitive abilities of over 950 older adults for an average of five years. The scientists found a significant decrease in the rate of cognitive decline for people who ate more green leafy vegetables (like spinach, kale, collards, and mustard greens). In fact, people who ate just one to two servings of leafy greens per day had the cognitive ability of a person 11 years younger than those who ate none.
Neurology. 2017 Dec 20. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000004815. (Morris MC et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Improved Cognitive Performance in Elderly

As global life expectancy grows, dementia is an increasing concern. Healthy eating patterns like the Mediterranean Diet are thought to help decrease the risk of such diseases. Researchers recently analyzed the diets of 1,865 Greek adults over the age of 64 as part of The Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Ageing and Diet (HELIAD) study. The researchers concluded that closer adherence to the Mediterranean Diet may be associated with improved cognitive performance—particularly memory—and lower dementia rates. Fish and whole grains in particular were singled out for their association with cognitive benefits.
PLOS One. 2017 August 1. 12(8): e0182048. (Anastasiou CA et al.)

Vegetables at Dinner Linked with Better Academic Performance in Kids

Providing healthy food to children doesn’t just impact their health; it might give them a leg up in the classroom as well. Researchers analyzed the eating patterns and test scores of 4,245 Australian children (ages 8-15) to see if food choices relate to academics. They found that kids who ate vegetables every night at dinner scored significantly higher in spelling and writing than kids who ate the fewest vegetables, and that eating breakfast daily and at least 2 servings of fruit daily were also linked with significantly higher scores in writing. On the other hand, kids who drank the most sugary drinks (like soda) scored significantly lower in reading, writing, grammar/punctuation, and numeracy than those who drank the fewest.
Appetite. 2017 May 6. pii: S0195-6663(17)30374-4. (Burrows T et al.)

Mediterranean-Based Diets Associated with Better Cognitive Function

Dementia is a serious neurological disease, so preventive measures are an important area of research.  In a study of 5,907 adults, researchers analyzed whether the Mediterranean diet and/or the MIND diet  (a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, full of “brain-healthy” foods like leafy greens, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, seafood, poultry, olive oil, and wine) have an effect on cognitive performance. Researchers found that those most closely following the Mediterranean Diet had 35% lower odds of having poor cognitive performance (assessed through tests of memory and attention), when compared to those not following a Mediterranean Diet. Results were similar for the MIND diet, probably because there is so much overlap in these two eating patterns.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 25 April 2017. [Epub ahead of print.]  (McEvoy CT, et al.)

Healthy School Lunch Associated with Higher Student Test Scores

Eating a healthy diet may help benefit both your body and your brain. Researchers analyzed data from 9,700 primary and secondary schools in California to find any potential connections between nutritional quality of school lunches and test score data. They found that using a healthy meal vendor (defined by a Healthy Eating Index score above the median score among all vendors) was associated with significantly higher test scores in students. This relationship was strongest for students from low-income households, possibly because they are more likely to eat the school lunch. However, the researchers did not find that working with a healthy lunch provider reduced percentage of overweight students.
National Bureau of Economic Research. 2017 Mar. 1-45. (Anderson ML et al.)

Traditional Ogimi Diet Filled with Potentially Neuroprotective Foods

Ogimi is a village in Okinawa, Japan famous for a remarkably high number of people who live healthfully into their 80s, 90s, and 100s. In this study researchers interviewed elderly Ogimi residents to learn about the most commonly eaten foods. Soy foods (like tofu) and seaweed make up a substantial portion of the diet. In fact, 13 of the 25 most frequently consumed foods are species of seaweed. The researchers suspect that the L-serine amino acids in the Ogimi diet (found in foods like tofu and seaweed) may partially explain the link with longevity, as some animal studies suggest that L-serine amino acids may be neuroprotective.
Current Nutrition Reports. 2017;6(1):24-31. (Cox PA et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Less ADHD in Kids

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) seems to be on the rise, so health experts wonder if diet might be related. To test this hypothesis, researchers in Spain matched 60 children newly diagnosed with ADHD to 60 children without ADHD (of the same age and sex), and analyzed their eating habits based on how closely they follow a Mediterranean diet. Children most closely following a Mediterranean diet (eating a second serving of fruit daily, eating vegetables daily, and eating pasta or rice almost every day) were significantly less likely to have ADHD. Children with ADHD were also more likely to eat more fast food, soft drinks, and candy, and were more likely to skip breakfast.
Pediatrics. 2017 Jan 30. pii: e20162027. [ePub ahead of print.] (Rios-Hernandez A et al.)

Mediterranean Diet Linked with Less Age-Related Brain Shrinkage

As people age, their brains gradually shrink over time. But certain lifestyle habits may be able to slow this loss. In a study of more than 1,000 elderly Scottish adults, researchers found that those most closely following a Mediterranean diet lost significantly less total brain volume over the 3-year study period than those who didn’t eat a Mediterranean diet. The authors also found that “fish and meat consumption does not drive this change, suggesting that other components of the [Mediterranean Diet] or, possibly, all of its components in combination are responsible for the association.”
Neurology. 2017 Jan 4. pii: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000003559.[Epub ahead of print](Luciano M et al.)

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