Mental Wellness: Adopting a Mediterranean diet and leading an active lifestyle could potentially offer shield against cognitive decline.
A fascinating ongoing study, known as the "MedWalk intervention study," is exploring the combined impact of adopting a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on dementia and cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's. Dubbed the "MedWalk" intervention, this health regime potentially could lower the risk of developing dementia.
Researchers from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom are leading this study, which was initially intended to assess cognition over a 2-year period but has been reduced to a 1-year follow-up due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact. Results will likely be released in late 2023.
The researchers are focusing on changes in visual memory and learning after 12 months, though they'll also investigate other aspects, like mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness. Participants are between 60 and 90 years old, primarily drawn from independent living retirement communities in South Australia and Victoria.
The modified study aims to observe the effects of a Mediterranean diet paired with supervised walking sessions, boosted by psychosocial behavioral change techniques. Study participants receive support for the first six months, with additional assistance available for the next six months.
A Mediterranean diet has been linked to better brain health, probably due to its rich antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber content, reduced processed grains and sugars, and minimized consumption of ultra-processed foods. Socially, enjoying meals with family and friends and regular exercise are additional benefits associated with the Mediterranean diet that may also contribute to brain health.
In terms of walking for brain health, recent research suggests a significant association between frequent walking and slower cognitive decline. Taking around 10,000 daily steps could reduce the risk of developing dementia by 50%, according to one study. Walking has also been linked to improved brain blood flow, better cognitive function, reduced stress, and enhanced feelings of overall well-being.
If the MedWalk intervention proves effective, it could potentially offer an accessible, lifestyle-focused method for reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Further research is necessary to explore the long-term effects of this intervention, its biological mechanisms, and its accessibility for a broader population.
The MedWalk intervention study, reducing to a 1-year follow-up due to COVID-19, aims to assess the impact of adopting a Mediterranean diet and regular walking on dementia and cognitive decline, including Alzheimer's. Researchers, hailing from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, are focusing on changes in visual memory and learning after 12 months, and also investigating mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness. Participants, aged between 60 and 90, are primarily drawn from independent living retirement communities in South Australia and Victoria.
Study participants receive support for the first six months, with additional assistance available for the next six months, as they engage in supervised walking sessions while following a Mediterranean diet. This health regime, paired with psychosocial behavioral change techniques, could potentially lower the risk of developing dementia, according to the study.
The Mediterranean diet, known for better brain health, offers nutritional benefits such as rich antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber content, reduced processed grains and sugars, and minimized consumption of ultra-processed foods. Regular exercise, an essential component of the Mediterranean lifestyle, is believed to contribute to brain health through improved brain blood flow, better cognitive function, reduced stress, and enhanced feelings of overall well-being.
Preliminary research indicates a strong association between frequent walking and a slower cognitive decline. Taking approximately 10,000 daily steps could potentially reduce the risk of developing dementia by 50%, according to some studies.
If the MedWalk intervention proves effective, it could potentially offer an accessible, lifestyle-focused method for reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Further research is necessary to explore the long-term effects of this intervention, its biological mechanisms, and its accessibility for a broader population, contributing to the broader field of health-and-wellness, mental-health, nutrition, fitness-and-exercise, and brain science.
