Maintaining Cognitive Fitness: Adopting Mediterranean Diet and an Active Lifestyle as Potential Safeguards
Researchers are investigating the potential benefits of a combination of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on dementia and cognitive decline. Known as the "MedWalk" intervention, this study seeks to assess whether this approach can reduce the risk of cognitive decline and various types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
Conducted by a team of international researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, the MedWalk study initially aimed to track cognitive changes over a 2-year period before being modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The follow-up period has been reduced to one year, and the research is ongoing, with a larger sample of participants being recruited.
The primary focus of the study is a 12-month change in visual memory and learning among participants. Researchers are also interested in observing the intervention's effects on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
Participants in the study are adults aged 60 to 90 years old residing in South Australia and Victoria. Recruitment initially took place in independent living retirement communities, but has since expanded to the larger community due to the pandemic. Special attention is being paid to biomarkers associated with cognitive decline, such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
The MedWalk intervention involves dietary modification in line with a Mediterranean diet, as well as a supervised walking regimen enhanced with psychosocial behavioral change techniques. Participants receive support for the first 6 months, with additional assistance available for the following 6 months. Instruction on the key differences between the Mediterranean diet and a typical Australian diet is provided to help participants better understand the dietary concept.
Aside from the Mediterranean diet and walking, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is believed to be an essential aspect of brain health and dementia prevention, according to Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet. Previous studies indicate that following a Mediterranean diet is associated with fewer cases of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. However, it's crucial to consider multiple factors contributing to dementia risk.
Walking regularly has also been linked to slower cognitive decline. A study found a dose-dependent relationship between daily steps taken and the risk of dementia, with 10,000 steps a day reducing the risk by 50%. Another study in the United States and Australia linked walking speed to dementia, while a 2017 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that aerobic exercise, such as walking, can strengthen cognitive impairment.
The MedWalk study's data collection period is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2023. Preliminary findings are not yet widely published or finalized in peer-reviewed literature due to the ongoing nature of large-scale lifestyle intervention trials. For the most up-to-date information, check clinical trial registries such as ANZCTR for Australian trials and ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Researchers in the MedWalk study are investigating the potential benefits of a Mediterranean diet combined with regular walking on various types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline.
- The study, which started with a 2-year follow-up period, has been modified due to the COVID-19 pandemic and now has a reduced follow-up period of one year.
- The MedWalk intervention involves adopting a Mediterranean diet, engaging in a supervised walking regimen, and incorporating psychosocial behavioral change techniques, with support provided for 12 months.
- The study also focuses on observing the effects of the intervention on mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
- Certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann believes that maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including following a Mediterranean diet and regular exercise like walking, is essential for brain health and dementia prevention.
- Previous studies have shown that following a Mediterranean diet is associated with fewer cases of dementia, Alzheimer's disease in particular, while walking regularly has been linked to slower cognitive decline.
