Eating for the Future: Women's Midlife Diets Shape Later-Life Brain Health and Memory

October 25, 2023 -
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NEW STUDY: women who adopted the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) to reduce their blood pressure had a 17% lower likelihood of experiencing memory loss and cognitive decline in the following decades. This 30-year follow-up investigation analyzed data from over 5,100 women participating in the NYU Women's Health Study, which investigates the influence of lifestyle and other factors on the development of various chronic conditions. The result: the stronger the adherence to the DASH diet in MIDLIFE, the less likely women were to report cognitive issues later in life.

Women make up approximately two-thirds of Alzheimer's diagnoses, the most prevalent form of dementia. The DASH diet underscores the importance of consuming plant-based foods rich in potassium, calcium, and magnesium while limiting saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar.

View the full study here.