Maintaining Cognitive Health: Adopting Mediterranean Diet and Regular Exercise Could Provide Protection
A riveting study, named MedWalk intervention, is currently underway, merging the effects of a Mediterranean diet and regular walks, aiming to decipher their collective role in warding off dementia and cognitive decline.
Such a combination has already been linked to improved brain health, but the study's goal is to validate the benefits of this combined approach.
Originating from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the researchers suspended the study temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To overcome hurdles, they altered the follow-up period from 2 years to a single year and expanded the participant pool.
The study's main focus is on a 12-month change in participants' visual memory and learning abilities. Beyond this, the researchers also plan to analyze the intervention's impact on various aspects, including mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
The participants are 60-90-year-old individuals primarily from South Australia and Victoria, who reside in independent living retirement communities. Given the pandemic, a few participants were also recruited from the wider community.
Meticulous attention to biomarkers associated with cognitive decline, such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress, is vital. The subjects were split into two groups: the MedWalk intervention group and a control group that maintained their regular diet and activity levels.
The MedWalk intervention involves dietary modifications alongside a guided walking regimen, bolstered by psychosocial behavioral change techniques. Participants receive extensive support during the initial 6 months, with continued guidance for the subsequent 6 months to ease adherence.
To help participants comprehend the Mediterranean diet concept, the researchers educate them on the diet's differences from a typical Australian diet. Free extra-virgin olive oil and other foods are supplied, as they play pivotal roles in the Mediterranean diet.
Aerobic fitness is evaluated at the study's onset, and group walking sessions take place for the initial 6 months, followed by monthly sessions for the rest of the test period.
A certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet, Conner Middelmann, noted to Medical News Today that several studies suggest a link between the Mediterranean diet and diminished dementia cases. Other research studies, such as one in 2019 and another in 2023, found an association between a Mediterranean diet and reduced Alzheimer's disease rates, the most common form of dementia.
However, Middelmann warns that while these studies hint at a connection between the Mediterranean diet and decreased dementia risk, multiple factors can influence dementia risk, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health.
"Therefore, maintaining a healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, is just one element of a comprehensive strategy for brain health and dementia prevention," Middelmann concluded.
The MedWalk diet may contribute to brain health in several ways: it boasts antioxidants that combat oxidative stress and inflammation, which are thought to significantly contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases; it has omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), crucial for brain health; a high fiber content aids in maintaining a balanced gut microbiome; it reduces the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation due to a low intake of processed grains and sugars; and it discourages the consumption of ultra-processed foods, known to be linked to dementia.
Finally, sharing meals with loved ones and regular exercise—essential elements of the Mediterranean diet—have also been connected to brain health.
Regular walking, too, is linked with slower cognitive decline. A study found a dose-dependent relationship between steps taken and decreasing dementia risk, stating that taking 10,000 steps daily lowered dementia risk by 50%.
Another study in the United States and Australia discovered a connection between walking speed and dementia, while a 2017 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that aerobic exercise like walking can counteract cognitive impairment.
Brain health coach Ryan Glatt from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, not involved in this study, explained that walking may enhance brain health in various ways. It may increase brain blood flow, depending on the walking session's intensity, duration, and frequency; it could benefit brain activity levels and reduce feelings of stress while improving feelings of well-being; and it might incorporate social elements and nature exposure, which may also have brain benefits.
By the end of 2023, the study's data-collection phase is expected to be completed.
- The MedWalk intervention, a combined approach of a Mediterranean diet and regular walks, is aimed at validating its benefits in warding off dementia and cognitive decline.
- The study, originally planned for a 2-year follow-up period, has altered its duration to 1 year and expanded its participant pool due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The main focus of the study is on a 12-month change in participants' visual memory and learning abilities, but it also aims to analyze the intervention's impact on various aspects like mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
- The participants are 60-90-year-old individuals primarily from South Australia and Victoria, residing in independent living retirement communities, with a few participants recruited from the wider community due to the pandemic.
- The MedWalk intervention involves dietary modifications alongside a guided walking regimen, bolstered by psychosocial behavioral change techniques, with participants receiving extensive support for the initial 6 months and continued guidance for the next 6 months.
- Aerobic fitness is evaluated at the study's onset, and group walking sessions take place for the initial 6 months, followed by monthly sessions for the rest of the test period, with walking linked to slower cognitive decline and reduced risk of dementia.
