Posted on 12/22/2024 6:20:14 AM PST by ConservativeMind
Higher scores on the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) are associated with an increased incidence of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia.
Diet has been identified as a potential avenue for reducing dementia risk. Previous observational studies have linked anti-inflammatory diets, such as the Mediterranean and MIND diets, with slower cognitive decline and lower dementia risk.
The DII is a standardized tool that quantifies the inflammatory potential of diets by analyzing nutrients, bioactive compounds, and food components. Prior studies have suggested that higher DII scores are associated with systemic inflammation, which is separately understood to contribute to neurodegenerative processes.
Researchers utilized data from the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) Offspring cohort to analyze dietary data, dementia incidence, and Alzheimer's disease diagnoses over a median follow-up period of around 13 years.
DII scores were calculated for 36 dietary components, which were categorized as either anti-inflammatory (e.g., fiber, vitamins A, C, D, E, omega-3 fats) or pro-inflammatory (e.g., saturated fats, total energy intake, and carbohydrates). Higher positive scores indicated more pro-inflammatory diets.
Of the 1,487 participants, 246 developed all-cause dementia, including 187 cases of Alzheimer's disease. Participants with higher DII scores, indicating pro-inflammatory diets, had significantly increased risks of both all-cause and AD dementia.
For every unit increase in the DII score, the risk of all-cause dementia rose by 21%. A similar increase in DII scores was associated with a 20% higher risk of AD dementia.
When participants were grouped based on their DII scores, those with the most pro-inflammatory diets were 84% more likely to develop all-cause dementia compared to those with the most anti-inflammatory diets.
Chronic inflammation may exacerbate brain inflammation and promote amyloid-beta plaque formation, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
Anti-inflammatory nutrients, like omega-3 fatty acids and flavonoids, may counteract these effects by reducing cytokine production and supporting brain health.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
+1
+1
+1
(Agreed. But it takes practice and knowledge from listening to one’s elders to know how.)
:-)
> the possum ate it the minute a bit of green began to show.
> He’ll outlive me.
Whoops.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.