HHS HealthBeat (March 18, 2009)

Thinking and Mediterranean Eating

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

People who eat more like the traditional foods of the Mediterranean seem to be more likely to hold onto their thinking and remembering abilities as they age. Researchers found indications of that when they checked for mild cognitive impairment, which is a stage between normal thinking abilities and dementia.

Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia University Medical Center looked at data on Mediterranean eating patterns, which include lots of fish and plant-based foods, and less meat and dairy.

[Nikolaos Scarmeas speaks] ``People who were following more closely the diet had approximately 28 percent less risk of developing mild cognitive impairment – which is a considerable reduction.’’

The study in Archives of Neurology was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

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HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss

Last revised: March, 18 2009