Research
Mixed
Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet is associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, and improves cognitive function in older adults.
To protect your brain health as you age, follow a Mediterranean diet pattern rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil, and fish. This way of eating has been linked to a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease and better cognitive function in older adults. It is a sustainable long-term strategy rather than a quick fix.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In addition, it has been associated with less age-related cognitive dysfunction and lower incidence of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.
Why this rating
Strong observational meta-analyses; limited but positive RCT data (PREDIMED subset).
Source
The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview
Marta Guasch‐Ferré et al. · Journal of Internal Medicine · 2021
DOI 10.1111/joim.13333
narrative_reviewCited 852×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) significantly reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular mortality, in both primary and secondary prevention populations.Strong
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improves glycaemic control in patients with existing type 2 diabetes.Good
- Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet is not associated with weight gain and may facilitate weight loss, particularly when energy-restricted, without the deleterious effects of low-fat diets.Good
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