Maintaining brain health: Adhering to the Mediterranean diet and leading an active lifestyle could offer protective benefits.
Checking in on the MedWalk Study: Combining a Mediterranean Diet and Regular Walking for Brain Health
curious minds are buzzing about the MedWalk intervention, a study investigating the potential combination of a Mediterranean diet and daily walking to combat dementia and cognitive decline. Here's the latest scoop on this promising approach.
Researchers are on a mission to uncover whether adopting a "Medit-stroll" lifestyle (MedWalk's shorthand) can help individuals reduce the risk of cognitive difficulties, including Alzheimer's disease. With a blend of the Mediterranean diet and regular walking, the study aims to explore the joint impact on brain health.
Evidence suggests both the Mediterranean diet and regular exercise have benefited brain health, so this study is all about taking it to the next level. The research is a joint effort by Australian, New Zealand, and UK researchers who are currently in the thick of it, despite initial interruptions by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their findings have already been published for the world (well, the scientific community, at least) to witness in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. The study was initially designed for a 2-year follow-up, but the financial and time impacts of the pandemic required some adjustments. The research thus far has been extender to a wider group of participants, with a revised 1-year follow-up period.
The researchers are keeping a keen eye on the primary focus: a 12-month change in visual memory and learning performance. Additionally, they're observing the intervention's effects on areas like mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, and arterial stiffness.
Participants range in age from 60-90 and are recruited from independent living retirement communities in South Australia and Victoria, with some pandemic-related additions from the larger community. The researchers are paying close attention to biomarkers associated with cognitive decline, such as glucose regulation, inflammation, nutrients, and oxidative stress.
The MedWalk intervention calls for dietary modifications paired with a supervised walking regimen. Participants receive intensive support for the first 6 months, followed by ongoing assistance for the next 6, to help keep them on track. They're also schooled on what a Mediterranean diet entails to help them understand the underlying principles.
The researchers are providing participants with extra-virgin olive oil, key components of a Mediterranean diet, along with other essential foods. After assessing baseline aerobic fitness, participants engage in group walking sessions for the first 6 months, followed by monthly sessions for the remainder of the test year.
Although the official findings from the MedWalk study won't be known until 2023, experts in the field have praise for the joint Mediterranean diet and walking lifestyle. Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet, notes its potential benefits for brain health. Evidence suggests a link between following a Mediterranean diet and fewer cases of dementia.
Studies have also connected the Mediterranean diet with lower rates of Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. Middelmann does remind us that there are numerous factors influencing dementia risk, so while this diet may help, it's just one piece of the puzzle.
Walking regularly is also associated with slower cognitive decline. One study discovered a dose-dependent relationship between the number of steps taken and reducing the risk of dementia. In this research, maintaining a daily step count of 10,000 steps was connected with a 50% lower risk of developing dementia.
In conclusion, the MedWalk study aims to bring together two promising lifestyle factors – the Mediterranean diet and walking – to combat cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia. We'll have to wait until the end of 2023 to see the fruits of their labor and gather insight on the combined impact of these approaches.
- The MedWalk study, a combination of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking, is investigating whether it can help individuals reduce the risk of cognitive difficulties, including Alzheimer’s disease.
- Researchers are observing the joint impact of these lifestyle factors on brain health, mood, quality of life, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and health costs.
- The study participants, aged 60-90, receive intensive support for the first 6 months to help them adopt a Mediterranean diet and walking regimen.
- Conner Middelmann, a certified nutritionist specializing in the Mediterranean diet, praises its potential benefits for mental health, pointing to studies suggesting it may help reduce the risk of dementia.5.walking regularly is also associated with a slower cognitive decline, with one study linking a daily step count of 10,000 steps to a 50% lower risk of developing dementia.
- Experts are eagerly awaiting the official findings from the MedWalk study in 2023, which will shed light on the combined impact of the Mediterranean diet and walking on brain health and cognitive decline.
