Queen’s study shows Flavonoid-rich foods and drinks may cut risk of dementia…

From the Guardian:

Consuming more food and drinks rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea and red wine, could lower the risk of dementia by 28%, a study suggests.

The number of people living with the disease globally is forecast to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050, which presents a rapidly increasing threat to global heath 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 mounting evidence that diet could play a role in the risk of developing the disease.

Research led by Queen’s University Belfast suggests that increasing the intake of flavonoid-rich foods and drinks could help reduce the risk of dementia by more than a quarter.

Academics said that flavonoids, primarily found in plant-based foods, have a range 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 findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The study’s lead researcher, Prof Aedin Cassidy, said: “The worldwide prevalence of dementia continues to increase rapidly. In this population-based cohort study, we analysed dietary data from over 120,000 adults aged between 40 and 70 years from the UK Biobank.

“Our findings show that consuming six additional servings of flavonoid-rich foods per day, in particular berries, tea and red wine, was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia. The findings were most noticeable in individuals with a high genetic risk, as well as in those with symptoms of depression.”

The first author of the study, Dr Amy Jennings, also from Queen’s, said the results suggested that taking a simple step such as increasing daily consumption of flavonoid-rich foods may lower dementia risk, especially in people at high risk.

“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 – should continue to be a major public health priority,” she said.

I am always a bit cautious about these studies. Health is complex and very interrelated. There is more to it than whacking some extra blueberries into you. Stress, sleep, exercise, relationships, purpose, environment, etc. all play a role in health.

A good tip for berries is the Del Monte frozen ones from Iceland are excellent value and decent quality.

I used to read a lot of nutrition books like Tim Spector ‘What to Eat’, but I gave up as they are often contradictory, and more importantly, I think it would be really easy for vulnerable people to succumb to an eating disorder when you go down the rabbit hole of nutrition advice.

The best advice is from Michael Pollen:

“Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” 

I help to manage Slugger by taking care of the site as well as running our live events. My background is in business, marketing and IT. My politics tend towards middle-of-the-road pragmatism, I am not a member of any political party. Oddly for a member of the Slugger team, I am not that interested in daily politics, preferring to write about big ideas in society. When not stuck in front of a screen, I am a parkrun Run Director.