A recent study from the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center found that people who followed the MIND diet were much less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia, even if they adopted healthier eating habits later in life.
The MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, combines features of both the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets. It focuses on foods known to support brain health, including leafy greens, berries, nuts, and olive oil. The findings are based on data from nearly 93,000 adults in the United States who participated in the Multiethnic Cohort (MEC), a major study co-led by the UH Cancer Center and the University of Southern California.
“Our study findings confirm that healthy dietary patterns in mid to late life and their improvement over time may prevent Alzheimer’s and related dementias,“ said lead author Song-Yi Park, professor in the UH Cancer Center’s Population Sciences in the Pacific Program.
