Mind Diet and Cognitive Health: What the Study Shows

New research shows that the MIND Diet did not lower risk of cognitive decline compared to a suboptimal diet. But is that an accurate conclusion?
Ref: Trial of the MIND Diet for Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Older Persons. NEJM, July 18, 2023. PMID: 37466280

MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH dietary Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, a dietary construct created by scientists at Rush University, specifically the late Dr. Martha Morris.

Uncover the intriguing truth behind the Mind Diet's impact on Alzheimer's risk in this enlightening video. A recent randomized control trial compared the Mind Diet with mild caloric restriction to a controlled diet, revealing surprising findings. Delve into the study's limitations and explore the evidence supporting plant-predominant diets with healthy fats for brain health. Join us on this journey to understand the complex relationship between nutrition and cognitive well-being. Don't miss the chance to stay informed and make informed choices for a healthier brain!

#minddiet #diet #brainhealth #brain #alzheimers #dementia #prevention

[pbayleaf]

Thank you for being direct & prompt in reporting this study. I had seen the results in JAMA

[OMGaNEWBIE]

Don't forget that the grocery store olive oil in all probability, used canola or soy, in high volumes as
the carrier oil. So both groups were consuming inferior olive oil, not the Pure type, thanks to the
corruption in the olive oil business.

[andrewnorris]

Good analysis. It was such a short period. And both showed similar small improvements. My thought - phytonutrients generally protect against decline at times of stress. The subjects here were clearly not under stress for the period for whatever reason. Also perhaps losing weight has an effect that helps the brain so reducing stress. E.g. it could trigger some mild autophagy, which most people on the typical Western diets rarely undergo. Clearing out old blockages. So under such a condition the brain would not be stressed, the opposite in fact, so phytonutrients did not matter so much to protect. But it's clear that this did not test about the MIND diet may work - to protect against stress that caused decline. If we want to improve brain function getting rid of some of the old cells and matter and replacing with new (autophagy via, cal reduction) may help. This is just my theory trying to make sense of it. Any thoughts appreciated.

[mdejhe]

Very interesting... Thank you for your impute on this. Sometimes just reading the "results" of a test doesn't give the full understanding. I

[k.h.]

One possible conclusion from this research is that the effect of weight loss dwarfs the other effects of dietary change. This mirrors what happens on other health metrics. People who lose weight - however they do it - generally feel better and get better health outcomes. Keeping it off is obviously the challenge (the elephant in the room). I don't doubt that, for people who can manage to stick to a healthy weight, long term, it's better to adopt something close to the mind diet. For many people it also works the other way around: a healthy diet helps with weight loss.

Your points are valid. You basically suggest more research is needed. But the effects of weight loss should also not be underestimated.

[chrisarp]

Both were on a low calorie diet? Caloric intake is the possible determining factor. Both groups improved. Comparing a SAID diet to a calorie restriction diet would show the therapeutic determination is calorie restriction, not a special food.

[gestaltenflicker]

What category would fruits (apples, bananas, grapes, pears, citrus, etc.), dairy (milk, fermented milk, yogurt, etc.) and eggs go to in the MIND diet? A bit confused.

[golaoi]

Undeterred by these results....
The test failed.