A study which followed 70 year-old Scottish people for 6 years has found that a low adherence to the colourful Mediterranean Diet results in greater brain shrinkage.
The group were followed using a dietary notebook, and then scanned using MRI. The brain scans were then matched to the food questionnaire data. Over 1000 people were followed and the measurements were taken in the last 3 years.
Chris Woollams, former Oxford University Biochemist and author of the best-selling book ‘The Rainbow Diet’ said, “What was really interesting was that the findings had no link to fish or meat consumption. The brain protection was almost certainly being driven by the bioactive compounds in the nits and seeds, olive oil and colourful vegetables and fruits. And, unlike previous studies, which measured a moment in time, the implications of this study were ‘what you eat today, results in this happening three years later’. A lesson for us all.”
Reference
- Luciano M, Corley J, Cox SR, et al. (Mediterranean-type diet and brain structural change from 73 to 76 years in a Scottish cohort. Neurology. 2017;88(5):449-455).