The “Meat and Potatoes” of the Study
Study author CéciliaSamieri, Ph.D., explained in a press release that many previous studies have shown how eating a healthier diet, for example a diet rich in green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains and fish, may lower a person's risk of dementia. However, she says this particular study was different, because it didn’t focus on quantity and frequency of foods. "Our study went one step further to look at food networks and found important differences in the ways in which food items were co-consumed in people who went on to develop dementia and those who did not,” Dr. Samieri notes. "People with dementia were more likely, when they ate processed meat, to accompany it with potatoes, and people without dementia were more likely to accompany meat with more diverse foods, including fruit and vegetables and seafood," says Dr. Samieri. "We found that more diversity in diet, and greater inclusion of a variety of healthy foods, is related to less dementia," she said.Processed Meats, The Good and Bad
Not surprisingly, researchers found pairings that included processed meat and starches – hello bacon and hash browns! – were most likely to contribute to dementia risk. However, individuals who ate the same amount of meat but paired it with healthier sides such as fruit and vegetables seemed to fare better in their cognitive skills. Dr. Samieri reasons that how frequently processed meat is combined with other unhealthy foods, rather than how much of it a person eats, may be important for dementia risk. Additionally, red flags emerged when participants paired processed meats with alcohol and sugary snacks like cookies and cakes. "In fact, we found differences in food networks that could be seen years before people with dementia were diagnosed," Dr. Samieri said. Those folks with no signs of cognitive decline were more likely to group their foods into smaller, more diverse food "networks." These wise choices included healthier foods, such as seafood, fruits and vegetables. Are there limitations to the study? You bet. Dubbed an observational study, participants self-reported their food consumption, which isn’t always trustworthy. It was also a small study. Another weakness is that the participants’ diets were only recorded once. Plus, this study was undertaken years before the onset of dementia, so any important changes in diet over time went unknown. Still, I believe this study underscores the critical link between dietary choices and cognitive health. It also shows that nutrition is a modifiable risk factor that can be changed to improve brain health outcomes. There’s no “magic bullet” to prevent Alzheimer's or delay cognitive aging. But I’m convinced that a colorful plate full of brain-healthy foods, such as leafy greens, fish and whole grains is an essential weapon against cognitive decline. I’ll keep an eye out for future studies on the topic of brain boosting “food networks” and let you know what I find.