Previously I have written about the Mediterranean diet and the positive effects it can have with respect to asthma, arthritis, heart disease, metabolic syndrome cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Already this years there have been numerous papers published which extol the health benefits of following a traditional Mediterranean diet - high in vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes/beans, fish (especially oily fish), healthy fats and wholegrains. Low in processed foods, dairy products, red meats, and saturated fats.
A new study published in February 2009 (1) looked at the association between Mediterranean diet and mild cognitive impairment – a transitional stage between normal cognition (brain function) and dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Previous studies have linked the following of a Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk of Alzheimer disease. The researchers found that following a Mediterranean style diet was associated with reduced risk for getting mild cognitive impairment. In addition to this, individuals who already had mild cognitive impairment and had a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet had lower risk of going on to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
The study took place in New York and involved 1,393 individuals with no cognitive difficulties at the start of the research and 482 individuals who showed mild cognitive impairment at the start of the study. 275 of the participants who had normal brain function at the start of the research developed mild cognitive impairment over about four and a half years during follow-up. The researchers assessed the diets of the participants using specialised food frequency questionnaires. Those who followed a diet closest to a traditional Mediterranean diet had a 28% lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment compared to those whose diets differed the most from traditional. The subjects with intermediate Mediterranean diet adherence scores had a 17% lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment. Among the group of people with mild cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study, 106 progressed to Alzheimer’s disease during follow-up and good adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower risk for this transition (1).
The study was not a clinical trial, it was an observational study and cannot prove the link between following a Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of cognitive impairment. However, it does point toward a strong association and provides us with indications of the importance of following a healthy eating regimen. A Mediterranean style diet is also linked to lower blood sugar levels, better blood vessel health and reduced inflammation, all of which are associated with brain function. There are many components in the Mediterranean diet which may be protecting the brain including omega 3 fatty acids from oily fish and numerous antioxidant vitamins and flavonoids (bioactive plant chemicals) from vegetables and fruits. No doubt all of these components act together to reduce overall risk of cognitive impairment. The key message seems to be to follow a healthy diet!
Another study published this February 2009 has found that women following a Mediterranean style diet seem to have a reduced risk of having a baby affected by spina bifida(2). Spina bifida is a birth defect that occurs when the spinal cord fails to close completely. Folic acid supplementation is now recommended to all women planning to get pregnant and in the early stages of pregnancy since supplementation has been shown to prevent the condition. However, folate is not the only protective nutrient, a healthy diet as a whole is very important, folate is simply one major factor. Observational studies found that in Southern Europe, where the Mediterranean diet originated, rates of spina bifida are lower. The current paper wanted to investigate the link further.
The study took place in the Netherlands (2). The researchers used a sample of 50 mothers who had children affected by spina bifida and compared their diet with 81 mothers of children who were not affected (these acted as a control). The scientists studied the habitual diet of the mothers and also looked at their blood folate and vitamin B12 levels (among other factors). Mothers who followed a predominantly Mediterranean style dietary pattern (high in vegetables, fruit, healthy fats, fish, legumes and wholegrains) had higher levels of folate and vitamin B12. Mothers who did not follow a Mediterranean style dietary pattern were at increased risk of having a child with spina bifida. In fact, women with the least Mediterranean-like diet were about three times more likely to have a child with spina bifida. In other words, women who ate more fruit, vegetables, healthy oils, fish and whole grains were less likely to give birth to a child with spina bifida. Again the study does not prove anything conclusively but certainly points towards the benefits of following a healthy, nutrient rich, diet to reducing the risk of haing a child affected by spina bifida.
Any woman who is planning a pregnancy and who is concerned that she is not eating a consistently healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits and healthy fats may wish to consider taking a broad-spectrum food-state supplement specifically designed for pregnancy in order to main good levels of all nutrients. An omega 3 fatty acid supplement could also be considered, especially if oily fish and nuts/seeds are not regularly eaten. Before deciding to take a supplement please discuss your thoughts with a GP, nurse or midwife.
Yet another study published thi February (3) has linked the Mediterranean diet to a reduced risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). The researchers of this study, which took place in Spain, evaluated 9,408 men and women who were free from high blood pressure at the start of the trial. Dietary intakes and patterns were assessed using specifically designed medically validated food frequency questionnaires, and a 9-point Mediterranean diet score was constructed. After 4 years, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was not associated with protection against hypertension. However, after 6 years follow up there was a significant link to reduced blood pressure and protection against hypertension. This is an important finding since age-related changes in blood pressure increase is common and the study shows that following a Meditteranean type diet could contribute to the prevention of age-related hypertension.
A very recent study (4) not yet published in print has found that following a Mediterranean style diet is linked to a significantly reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a condition linked to heart disease and diabetes and various other problems. The study is interesting as it involved 808 individuals who already had a high risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers found that participants with the highest score of adhering to the Mediterranean diet had the lowest risk of having metabolic syndrome compared to those with lowest adherence scores. Participants with the highest Mediterranean Diet adherence had 54% lower risk of having high blood fat levels, hypertriglyceridemia, a big risk factor for heart and other problems.
The key point here is that a healthy, balanced diet is very important for good health. The Mediterranean diet is not a low fat regimen, it contains ample amounts of healthy fats from foods such as fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil and fruits such as avocado. It is also full of vegetables, fruits and fibre. A traditional Mediterranean diet is low in processed food and contains around 9 portions of vegetables and fruits a day, we are barely able to reach 5 here in the uk! What we eat is crucial for our bodies (and our mind) to stay healthy, however if you find that you are not consistently eating 5 portions of vegetables and fruits a day you may wish to consider a good food-state multivitamin/mineral supplement together with an omega 3 fatty acid supplement from fish oil (providing around 300mg EPA and 300mg DHA daily) or flaxseed oil (providing 500-1000mg alpha linolenic acid daily). Please remember that supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet!
(1)Scarmeas N et al. 2009. Mediterranean Diet and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Arch Neurol. 66 (2): 216-225
(2) Vujkovic M et al. 2009. The maternal Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with a reduced risk of spina bifida in the offspring. BJOG. 116(3):408-15
(3) Núñez-Córdoba JM et al. 2009. The Mediterranean diet and incidence of hypertension: the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra (SUN) Study. Am J Epidemiol. 169(3):339-46.
(4)Babio N et al. 2009. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of metabolic syndrome and its components. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. Jan 26. [Epub ahead of print]
Written by Ani Kowal
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