Anti-inflammatory diet may help reduce dementia risk

Evan Walker
Evan Walker TheMediTary.Com |
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Research supports following an anti-inflammatory diet to boost cognitive Health and lower dementia risk. Foxys_forest_manufacture/Getty Images
  • A large study investigated the role of diet-related inflammation in older adults with cardiometabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.
  • Compared to a proinflammatory diet, following an anti-inflammatory diet was associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia.
  • An anti-inflammatory dietary pattern was also linked to reduced signs of damaged blood vessels in the brain and a larger volume of gray matter in the brain.

Earlier studies have linked cardiometabolic conditions, which include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, to an increased risk of dementia.

Some experts believe that inflammation may be the mechanism that binds these conditions together. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open asks whether anti-inflammatory diets might reduce dementia risk in older adults with cardiometabolic diseases.

Over a 15-year follow-up, the scientists observed that dementia risk was 31% lower for those following an anti-inflammatory diet compared with those following a pro-inflammatory diet.

Those with an anti-inflammatory diet also had a larger volume of Health">gray matter — a marker of cognitive functioning, or the ability to think — and fewer signs of damage to the brain’s blood vessels.

In recent years, scientists have found links between many chronic conditions and persistent, or chronic inflammation. These include type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, depression, and more.

Because of this, many consider all instances of inflammation to be bad, but that is not fully justified. It is the body’s first line of defense following injury or infection. Inflammation protects against invaders, plays a role in wound healing, and is vital for our survival.

However, if inflammation is not properly regulated or persists beyond its necessary function, it can cause harm. This is usually referred to as chronic inflammation, which can eventually cause damage to the body’s cells, tissues, and organs, contributing to chronic diseases.

Like many processes in the body, inflammation needs to be finely balanced. This fine balancing act can become more challenging in certain disease states and also as we grow older.

Cardiometabolic conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, and some experts believe that inflammation may underpin this relationship.

Correspondingly, the current study found that cardiometabolic diseases were associated with an 81% increased risk of developing dementia.

Because diet can influence inflammation — for better or worse — the authors of the new study decided to investigate links between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory diets and dementia risk in people with cardiometabolic disease.

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