A new study conducted by the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University and the Robert Butler Aging Center at Columbia has revealed that maintaining healthy eating habits is not only beneficial for overall health but also plays a significant role in reducing the risk of developing dementia and slowing down the aging process.
Published in Annals of Neurology, the study led by Associate Professor Daniel Belsky explored the relationship between diet and dementia, suggesting that a healthy diet can protect against dementia by slowing down the body’s biological aging process. The research drew on data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, which included participants over the age of 60 who were dementia-free at the start of the study.
Of the 1,644 participants included in the analysis, 140 developed dementia. The researchers used an epigenetic clock called DunedinPACE to measure the rate at which the body experiences deterioration as it ages. The study found that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a slower rate of aging and decreased risks of dementia and mortality.
Senior author Dr. Yian Gu noted that while there is evidence supporting the protective effects of a healthy diet against dementia, the exact mechanism behind this relationship is still not completely understood. Further research is needed to explore brain-specific mechanisms in dementia prevention.
Postdoc Aline Thomas emphasized the importance of conducting more observational studies to investigate direct associations between nutrients and brain aging. If confirmed in diverse populations, monitoring biological aging could prove to be a valuable tool in dementia prevention.
Overall, the study highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy diet for not only physical health but also cognitive health and provides further insight into the potential benefits of a balanced and varied diet in reducing the risk of dementia and slowing down the aging process.