Mental wellness: Adopting Mediterranean diet and maintaining an active lifestyle may offer protective benefits
Unleashing Cognitive Strength: The MedWalk Revolution
Research is underway to ascertain whether adopting a MedWalk lifestyle can bolster brain function and decrease the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. MedWalk is a blend of the dementia-fighting Mediterranean diet and regular walking.
Previous investigations have connected both the Mediterranean diet and regular exercise, like walking, to enhanced brain health. The current study aims to explore the combined benefits of following this dual approach.
Delayed due to the COVid-19 pandemic, the researchers behind the project, hailing from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, are making steady progress. An update on their processes and ongoing analysis can be found in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
The 12-month Change: Visual Memory and Learning
The principal objective of this study centers on assessing the impact of a 12-month MedWalk intervention on visual memory and learning capabilities in participants.
Beyond this primary outcome, researchers are also keeping a close eye on the intervention's effects on mood, quality of life, and health costs. They are also examining cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and factors linked to cognitive decline, such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrient levels, and oxidative stress.
The research includes participants aged 60 to 90 living in South Australia and Victoria. The recruitment drive initially targeted independent living retirement communities, expanding its reach to the wider community in response to the pandemic.
Attention is being paid to biomarkers indicative of cognitive decline, including glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
Participants are randomly assigned to either the MedWalk intervention group or a control group maintaining their regular diet and activity levels.
MedWalk: A Symphony of Health
The MedWalk intervention is a harmonious blend of dietary modification, backed by a supervised walking regimen, supplemented with psychosocial change strategies. Participants receive intensive support for the initial six months, followed by additional assistance for the following six months to help them stay the course.
To help participants understand the dietary changes, the researchers provide instruction on the key differences between a Mediterranean diet and a typical Australian diet. Participants are also provided with extra-virgin olive oil and other essential foods to facilitate the transition.
After assessing each participant's baseline aerobic fitness, they engage in group walking sessions for six months, followed by monthly sessions for the remainder of the test year.
The Mediterranean Diet and Brain Health
Certified nutritionist Conner Middelmann, specializing in the Mediterranean diet, highlighted to Medical News Today that while studies suggest a link between the Mediterranean diet and a reduced risk of dementia, it is essential to consider that multiple factors can influence dementia risk, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health.
Nonetheless, Middelmann underscored that maintaining a healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean one, is yet another crucial element of a comprehensive strategy for cognitive well-being and dementia prevention.
The Mediterranean diet potentially benefits brain health in several ways, as exemplified by its high content of antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and a low intake of processed grains and sugars. Consumption of ultra-processed foods, linked to dementia, is discouraged in the diet.
Furthermore, sharing meals with family and friends and regular exercise are other aspects of the Mediterranean lifestyle that are associated with brain health.
Walking: A Path to Brain Power
Walking regularly has been linked to slower cognitive decline, with a dose-dependent relationship between the number of steps taken and the reduced risk of dementia. One study even found that taking 10,000 steps a day lowered the risk by 50%.
A -led study found a correlation between walking speed and dementia, while a 2017 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that aerobic exercise, like walking, can improve cognitive impairment.
Brain Health Onward
The data collection phase of the current study is expected to conclude by the end of 2023.
Incorporating the Mediterranean diet with regular walking is likely to supercharge the protective effects on cognitive health since both interventions address distinct pathways to fortifying brain function - dietary factors impacting inflammation and vascular health, and physical activity improving neuroplasticity and cardiovascular fitness.
- The researchers aim to investigate the combined benefits of the Mediterranean diet and regular walking, also known as MedWalk, on decreasing the risk of dementia and cognitive decline.
- The principal objective of the MedWalk study is to assess the impact of a 12-month intervention on visual memory and learning capabilities in participants, but it also observes other factors like mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and markers of cognitive decline such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrient levels, and oxidative stress.
- Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet, has emphasized that while studies suggest a link between the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of dementia, it is crucial to consider factors like genetics, lifestyle, and overall health.
- Regular walking has been linked to slower cognitive decline, with studies finding a dose-dependent relationship between the number of steps taken and the reduced risk of dementia.
- The data collection phase of the current MedWalk study is expected to conclude by the end of 2023.
- The MedWalk intervention is a combination of dietary modification, regular walking, and psychosocial change strategies, offering a holistic approach to mental health, cognitive well-being, and dementia prevention.
