This diet may slow brain aging by 2.5 years

Following the MIND diet may help slow brain shrinkage and delay some signs of brain aging by years.

A diet that combines elements of the Mediterranean diet with an eating plan designed to lower blood pressure may help slow some of the structural changes that occur as the brain ages, according to research published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

Greater adherence to the MIND diet was linked to less brain tissue loss over time, particularly in grey matter, which plays an important role in memory, learning, decision making, and information processing. It was also associated with less enlargement of the brain's ventricles, fluid filled spaces that tend to grow as brain tissue shrinks.

The Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet, or MIND for short, has previously been associated with better cognitive health, according to the researchers.

The eating pattern emphasizes green leafy vegetables; other vegetables; berries; nuts; whole grains; fish; beans; olive oil; and poultry, along with moderate wine consumption. It also recommends limiting butter/margarine, cheese, red meat, pastries/sweets, and fried fast foods.

Although previous research has connected the MIND diet with cognitive benefits, its relationship with age related changes in brain structure has remained less clear. Those structural changes are also relevant to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

To investigate, researchers studied 1647 middle aged and older adults (average age 60 at the start of the study) from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort (FOS).

Participants underwent regular health evaluations every 4-8 years. Starting in 1999, they also received MRI brain scans every 2-6 years.

Diet was assessed through at least 1 food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) completed during check ups between 1991-5, 1995-8, and/or 1998-2001. Each participant also had at least 2 brain MRI scan assessments between 1999 and 2019 and showed no evidence of stroke or dementia at the time of their first MRI scan.

The average MIND diet score was just under 7 out of a possible 15, with 15 representing the strongest adherence.

People in the highest third for MIND diet adherence were more likely to be women and college educated. They were also less likely to smoke or have obesity.

They were also less likely to have conditions that can affect brain health, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease.