A study suggests that consuming more foods and drinks rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea and red wine, could reduce the risk of dementia by 28%.
The number of people living with the disease worldwide is expected to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050, posing a rapidly growing threat to global health and social care systems.
Age and genetics remain the biggest risk factors, but experts say almost half of cases could be prevented or delayed, and there is growing evidence that diet could play a role in the risk of developing it. the disease
Research led by Queen’s University Belfast suggests that increasing the intake of foods and drinks rich in flavonoids could help reduce the risk of dementia by more than a quarter.
Academics say flavonoids, mainly found in plant foods, have a variety of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. They have also been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, as well as improved cognitive function.
The results were published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The study’s lead researcher, Prof Aedin Cassidy, said: “The prevalence of dementia worldwide continues to rise rapidly. In this population-based cohort study, we analyzed dietary data from over 120,000 adults aged between 40 and 70 years from the UK Biobank.
“Our findings show that the consumption of six additional portions of foods rich in flavonoids per day, especially berries, tea and red wine, was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia. The results were more remarkable in individuals with a high genetic risk, and also in those with symptoms of depression”.
The study’s first author, Dr Amy Jennings, also from Queen’s, said the findings suggest that taking a simple step such as increasing daily consumption of foods rich in flavonoids can reduce the risk of dementia, especially in high-risk people.
“Currently, there is no effective treatment for the disease, so preventive interventions to improve health and quality of life – and reduce social and economic costs – must continue to be a major public health priority,” he said.
Last month, a landmark report from the Lancet Commission on Dementia concluded that addressing 14 modifiable risk factors, starting in childhood and continuing throughout life, could prevent or delay 45% of cases of dementia.
The report added two new risk factors that are associated with 9% of dementia cases. About 7% of cases are related to high-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol, in mid-life from around the age of 40, while 2% are attributed to vision loss untreated in later life.
The new risk factors were more than 12 identified by the Lancet commission in 2020, which together are attributable to about 36% of dementia cases.
They are: lower levels of education, hearing impairment, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, air pollution and social isolation.