Maintaining cognitive health: Adopting the Mediterranean diet and an active lifestyle could potentially offer protection.
Slingin' Food and Footsteps: Combatting Dementia with a Mediterranean Diet and Walking
Researchers are diving headfirst into the "MedStep" intervention - a blend of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking - to discover if it could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementias, like Alzheimer's. Here's the lowdown on this exciting new study.
Both the Mediterranean diet and daily leg workouts have a history of aligning with enhanced brain health. This study aims to prove that double-teaming 'em can yield legendary results. This pioneering research is being conducted by scientists from Down Under (Australia) and across the pond (New Zealand and the UK).
Initially designed to run over a 2-year span, the COVID-19 pandemic forced a few tweaks. The scientists now plan to wrap it up in just one year, recruiting a larger pool of participants to compensate for the shorter timeline.
The main outcome the researchers are zooming in on is the 12-month change in participants' visual memory and learning skills. They're also curious to see how the intervention affects mood, quality of life, health costs, and cardiovascular health - plus a whole lot more.
If you're 60 to 90 and living it up in South Australia or Victoria, you could be a contender! The participants are coming from independent living retirement communities, but thanks to the pandemic, a broader segment of the community is joining the fun, too. The researchers pay special attention to a mouthful of biomarkers related to cognitive decline, including glucose regulation, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
The lucky participants are divided into two groups. The "MedStep" gang embarks on a dietary transformation accompanied by a guided walking regimen, bolstered by psychosocial behavioral change techniques. They receive tons of support in the first six months, with additional help available for the next six to help them stay committed. To help participants get the hang of this new way of eating, the researchers offer guidance on the ins and outs of the Mediterranean diet. Extra-virgin olive oil and other goodies make the cut as freebies, given their key roles in this diet.
You've got to be in good shape to start this study, as participants undergo an initial fitness assessment. Once they're all set, they join group walking sessions for the first six months, followed by monthly sessions for the rest of the trial period.
No one can deny the credentials of the Mediterranean diet when it comes to brain health. Certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann - who isn't part of this study - pointed out that studies have found a connection between this diet and fewer cases of dementia. The MIND diet, a relative of the Mediterranean diet, has also been linked to lower rates of Alzheimer's disease.
Walking, too, has a reputation for fending off cognitive decline. According to Glatt, a brain health coach from the Pacific Neuroscience Institute, the more steps you take, the greater the cognitive benefit. Findings from a recent study show that taking 10,000 steps daily can cut the risk of dementia in half, while research proves a link between walking speed and dementia. Folks in the United States and Australia have linked their walking speed to dementia risk, while a 2017 study concluded that aerobic activities like walking can bolster cognitive impairment.
Middelmann adds that the Mediterranean diet packs beneficial antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and fight against insulin resistance, inflammation, and ultra-processed foods - all factors that may boost brain health. So, it's not just about chowing down on good grub; sharing meals with loved ones and regular exercise also play a part.
Researchers involved in the MedStep study are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping for enlightening results. Fingers crossed, we'll have some answers on brain health by the end of 2023. Game on!
*Note: At the time of writing, there's no specific ongoing study on the combined effect of a Mediterranean diet and walking on dementia and cognitive decline. However, recent research has highlighted the benefits of dietary patterns like the MIND diet, which blends elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, in reducing dementia risk. Meanwhile, physical activity is generally recognized as a brain-boosting elixir. In the future, we may see more studies exploring the combined benefits of dietary interventions like the Mediterranean and MIND diets, along with physical activities like walking, to provide a well-rounded understanding of lifestyle modifications for dementia prevention. Go get 'em, brain soldiers!
- Scientists from various international locations are investigating the MedStep intervention, a combination of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking, to ascertain if it decreases the risk of cognitive decline and dementias like Alzheimer's, in a study that focuses on enhancing brain health.
- Both the Mediterranean diet and consistent walking have long-standing associations with superior mental health, and this study intends to demonstrate that combining them could result in exceptional outcomes.
- Initially designed to last two years, adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused the study to be shortened to one year, with an increased participant pool to compensate for the reduced duration.
- The researchers are primarily interested in evaluating the 12-month change in participants' visual memory and learning skills, as well as examining how the intervention impacts mood, quality of life, health costs, and cardiovascular health - among numerous other aspects.
- Participants aged 60-90 living in South Australia or Victoria have the opportunity to participate in the study, which includes individuals from independent living retirement communities as well as a broader segment from the community due to pandemic-related changes.
- Participants are assigned to two groups: one group adheres to a Mediterranean diet alongside a guided walking regimen, and receives assistance in implementing psychosocial behavioral change techniques for the first six months, with continued support for the subsequent six months. Additionally, participants receive guidance on the specifics of the Mediterranean diet and receive free items such as extra-virgin olive oil, which play crucial roles in this diet.
