Maintaining Brain Health: Mediterranean Diet and Regular Exercise Could Be Key Protective Factors
Unleashing the Power of the MedWalk Lifestyle for Brain Health
Researchers are delving into the potential of the MedWalk intervention - a combination of the Mediterranean diet and walking - to stave off cognitive decline and dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Earlier research has highlighted the individual benefits of both components on cognitive health, and this exciting study sets out to explore their synergy.
In partnership with researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the study is ongoing, its progress chronicled in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic's disruptions, their commitment remains unwavering.
Despite originally planning a 2-year study, the researchers have had to modify their strategy due to the pandemic, reducing the follow-up period to a single year. As a result, they have expanded their participant pool to gather a broader set of data.
The research team is primarily interested in understanding the impact of the MedWalk intervention on visual memory and learning in participants over the course of 12 months.
In addition, they aim to judge its effects on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and more.
Participants for the study are drawn from individuals aged 60 to 90, residing in South Australia and Victoria, Australia. Recruitment extends beyond retirement communities, as physical distancing measures brought about by the pandemic prompted an expansion of the survey pool.
A keen eye is focused on biomarkers linked to cognitive decline, such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
Participants are assigned to either the MedWalk intervention group or control group, who follow their usual diet and activity patterns. The MedWalk intervention encompasses dietary modification alongside a supervised walking regimen, reinforced with psychosocial behavioral change techniques. Participants receive structured guidance for the first 6 months, with additional support available for the following 6 months to help them maintain their progress.
The researchers help participants grasp the distinctions between the Mediterranean diet and a typical Australian diet, ensuring understanding and compliance. Extra-virgin olive oil is made available to participants, a integral component of the Mediterranean diet, as well as accessories that encourage healthy eating habits.
After assessing each participant's baseline aerobic fitness, group walking sessions kick off the first 6 months, followed by monthly sessions for the remainder of the study.
Connecting Dots: Mediterranean Diet and Brain Health
Certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann, who specializes in Mediterranean diets, shed light on the links between the diet and brain health to Medical News Today. Middelmann highlighted multiple studies suggesting that adhering to a Mediterranean diet can reduce instances of dementia.
Additional studies from 2023 found an association between Mediterranean eating habits and lower rates of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. Middelmann, however, cautioned that several factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health, influence dementia risk.
"In other words, maintaining a balanced diet, such as a Mediterranean diet, is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to nurturing brain health and preventing dementia," she advised.
The Mediterranean diet may provide cognitive benefits through several means, Middelmann explained:
- Antioxidants from the Mediterranean diet help combat oxidative stress and inflammation, factors suspected to contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
- The diet contains omega-3 fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), crucial for brain health, and omega-3s are linked with enhanced cognitive function and reduced cognitive decline.
- The Mediterranean diet boasts high fiber content, beneficial for maintaining a balanced gut microbiome.
- It is low in processed grains and sugars, decreasing the likelihood of insulin resistance and inflammation.
- Consumption of ultra-processed foods, linked to dementia, is discouraged in this diet.
Moreover, Middelmann pointed out that sharing meals with family and friends and regular exercise are other elements of the Mediterranean diet that have been associated with improved brain health.
The Magic of Walking for the Brain
A host of research indicates that walking frequently aids in cognitive preservation.
One such study discovered a direct relationship between the number of steps taken each day and reduced dementia risk.
That research found that striving for 10,000 steps daily dropped the risk of dementia by 50%
Another study of American and Australian individuals linked walking speed to dementia, while a 2017 study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that engaging in aerobic exercise, such as walking, can counter cognitive impairment.
"Walking may stimulate brain blood flow, depending on the intensity, duration, and frequency of walking," explained brain health coach Ryan Glatt from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, not connected to this study.
Glatt elaborated further, noting that walking:
- may boost brain activity levels
- helps reduce stress and improve overall mood
- may incorporate social elements and exposure to nature, both of which have brain benefits.
The study is expected to conclude its data collection by the end of 2023.
Insights from the Enrichment Data:- The study primarily compares participants who follow the MedWalk intervention (a combination of Mediterranean diet and walking) with those who do not.- Participants are recruited from retirement communities and the broader community, with a focus on adults aged 60 to 90 who are at risk of cognitive decline or dementia.- Potential benefits of the MedWalk intervention include improved cognitive performance, lower incidence of dementia or mild cognitive impairment, and better cardiovascular health.- Researchers may investigate mediating factors, the impact on quality of life, and the cost-effectiveness of such interventions in the future.
- Researchers are examining the synergy between the Mediterranean diet and walking, known as the MedWalk intervention, to combat cognitive decline and dementia like Alzheimer's disease.
- The ongoing study, involving researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, is focused on the impact of the MedWalk intervention on visual memory, learning, mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and more in participants over a year.
- Participants are divided into two groups: the MedWalk intervention group, following a modified Mediterranean diet and supervised walking, and a control group adhering to their usual diet and activity patterns.
- The Mediterranean diet is associated with reduced instances of dementia, according to certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann, due to its antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, high fiber content, and minimal processed foods.
- Walking frequently has been linked to cognitive preservation, with research suggesting that striving for 10,000 steps per day can drop the risk of dementia by 50%.
- Walking may stimulate brain blood flow, boost brain activity levels, reduce stress, improve overall mood, and incorporate social elements and exposure to nature, all beneficial for brain health, according to brain health coach Ryan Glatt.
