
New research published in a leading scientific journal indicates that following a plant-based diet lowers the risk of cognitive decline as individuals get older.
Life expectancy of people around the world has increased and UN statistics estimate that the global population aged 80 years or over will be around 425 million by 2050 from around 137 million in 2017.
However, with an ageing population the numbers of people affected by cognitive decline is set to increase.
A study to determine the influence of food as a biomarker in the onset of neurodegenerative disorders has highlighted that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low in animal products such as meat and dairy significantly reduces the risk of cognitive impairment in later life.
The study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated the impacts of five dietary patterns in a cohort population spanning three decades.
Study
Between April 1993 and December 1998, the Singapore Chinese Health Study enrolled over 63,257 Chinese people between ages 45–74 and assessed them individually on their “usual diet, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, sleep duration, height, weight, and medical history.”
The participants were then instructed to follow five dietary patterns:
- The “alternative Mediterranean diet,” a tweaked version of the typical Mediterranean diet
- The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Trusted Source diet
- The alternative Healthy Eating Index
- The plant-based diet index
- The healthful plant-based diet index
Participants were scheduled with three follow up visits, running up until 2016. All of the diets followed by individuals taking part focused on plant-based food sources.
To determine the role nutrition played in warding off mental decline, Prof. Puay and colleagues analysed data on 16,948 people — aged 53, on average — at baseline.
These participants had completed cognitive function assessments during their third follow-up visit in 2014–2016, and around 2,443 of them reported cognitive impairment.
Result
The researchers analyzing the data reported that participants who followed the recommended diets were 18–33% less likely to suffer cognitive decline in comparison to those who deviated from the diet protocols.
Prof. Koh Woon Puay said: “Our study suggests that maintaining a [healthful] dietary pattern is important for the prevention of onset and delay of cognitive impairment.”
She added that a healthy diet meant reducing processed meat consumption and including lots of plant-based foods.
The results of this study confirmed the findings of another similar study conducted in 2016 by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The results showed that eating leafy greens could potentially prevent memory loss in the elderly.
What do you think of the study results? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Vegan Nottingham student creates budget-friendly oat milk machine to reduce carbon footprint and combat rising prices
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 30th May 2023
The invention is sustainable and cost-effective. A vegan undergraduate studying product design at Nottingham Trent University has developed a container that can help people create their own oat milk at home for just 20 pence per litre. “Oatilicious,” provides significant cost savings compared to store-bought oat milk for up to £2.20 per carton. The innovative …
Bear Grylls ’embarrassed’ by past vegan diet promotes meat, blood, and bone marrow for better health
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 15th May 2023
“I’ve tried to listen to my body more, tried to listen to nature, and I don’t miss vegetables at all. I don’t go near them, and I’ve never felt stronger, my skin’s never been better, and my gut’s never been better.” Adventurer and TV presenter Bear Grylls has become a die-hard carnivore fan after admitting …
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …