Mediterranean Eaters Developed Dementia Less Often Over Decades
Graded Moderate — a large long-term study followed over 130,000 people for up to 43 years; since diets were not assigned at random, other healthy habits may explain part of the link.
- Design
- Prospective cohort study
- Participants
- 130,240
- Duration
- 43 years
- Funding
- US National Institutes of Health (NIA, NHLBI, NINR)
People who followed a Mediterranean diet closely for decades had a 21 percent lower risk of developing dementia.
People who stuck closely to a Mediterranean diet for decades were less likely to develop dementia. Compared with those who followed it least, the most faithful had a 21 percent lower risk. For the MIND diet, a blend of Mediterranean eating and a diet designed to lower blood pressure, the risk was 14 percent lower. People who moved their eating toward these diets over four or eight years also had a lower risk.
Researchers in the US followed 86,740 female nurses from 1980 and 43,500 male health professionals from 1986, both until 2023. Participants repeatedly filled in questionnaires about what they ate. Dementia was counted from doctor diagnoses the participants reported and from death records. Women aged 70 or older also took memory tests by phone. Those who followed the diets closely scored as if their thinking had aged 0.75 to 1.59 years less.
Most participants were White, highly educated health workers. Nobody was assigned a diet at random, so other healthy habits may play a part. A shorter trial that assigned the MIND diet by chance found no clear benefit for thinking.
Disclaimer: Research summaries are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health routine.
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