Eating Foods High in Omega-3 Oils Can Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers at the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, in Bordeaux, France, conducted this study. They determined that increasing one's consumption of omega-3 oils could reduce the risk of developing dementia by 60 percent when compared to those people who did not consume omega-3 oils.
Additionally, by regularly including fruits and vegetables in their daily diet, people reduced their risk of developing dementia by 30 percent when compared to those who did not regularly include fruits and vegetables in their diet.
Further, researchers determined that eating fish at least once a week also lowered the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by 35 percent, and decreased the risk of developing another form of dementia by 40 percent.
Researchers also determined that having a diet that is unbalanced, consuming far more omega-6 oils but not omega-3 oils, increased one's risk of developing dementia.
They cautioned that additional research is needed to find the optimum combination of nutrients that can help protect us from dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
"While we've identified dietary patterns associated with lowering a person's risk of dementia or Alzheimer's, more research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of these nutrients involved in these apparently protective foods," said Pascale Barberger-Gateau, PhD, of INSERM, the French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, in Bordeaux, France.
About the study
Researchers based their findings on the results of over 8,000 people, men and women, who are over 65 years old. Researchers examined their dietary habits in detail.
The participants did not have Alzheimer's disease when this study was begun, but four years later, 98 of the participants had developed dementia, and an additional 183 of the original participants had developed Alzheimer's disease.
About omega-3 oils
Omega-3 oils are found in many different foods, including canola, flaxseed, and walnut oils. Additionally, many food companies have been involved in increasing the omega-3 fatty acids that are contained in foods. Examples include bread, orange juice, pasta, milk, pizza, and yogurt.
Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in cooked soybeans, many seafoods, raw tofu, eggs (when the hens eat a diet high in canola oils), and cereals. Over 200 different food products now have omega-3 added to them because of the many health benefits that omega-3's provide.
These nutritional findings are applicable to people who do not carry the gene, ApoE4. Scientists believe that those who have the ApoE4 gene are at an increased risk of developing dementia and were not included in this study.
The study has been published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, Neurology®.
Sources:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-11/aaon-efo110607.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/omega.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid
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