Pull up a chair next to the cardiologists and have a look at the menu – seems\u00a0like the Mediterranean diet remains flavour of the day.<\/p>\n
What is this Mediterranean diet?\u00a0 Well, if I can take you on a ‘Cook’s tour’\u00a0(excuse the pun…it gets worse…), this diet essentially puts emphasis on\u00a0extra virgin olive oil and nuts (key factors), as well as fish, fresh greens,\u00a0and wholegrains, and allows both alcohol and dairy products in moderation.<\/p>\n
In the current issue of JNNP, an article by Martinez-Lapiscina and colleagues\u00a0(1) delivers interesting results on the effects of a Mediterranean diet versus a\u00a0standard low fat diet on cognitive function.\u00a0 Their study, called ‘PREDIMED-NAVARRA’ looks at a subset of patients from the larger, parent ‘PREDIMED’ trial. \u00a0\u00a0This was a randomised, cardiovascular primary prevention trial run in Barcelona\u00a0from 2005 – 2010 comparing the Mediterranean diet with a low-fat diet in a high\u00a0risk population.<\/p>\n
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To get straight to the main course, Martinez-Lapiscina has published the first\u00a0long-term randomised intervention aimed at changing overall dietary pattern and\u00a0noting the effect on cognitive function. Over a period of 6.5 years, those on the\u00a0Mediterranean diet had better global cognitive performance compared with those\u00a0on the ‘low-fat’ diet.<\/p>\n
As Scarmeas (2) discusses in his thoughtful editorial, the findings from\u00a0PREDIMED-NAVARRA will need to be further investigated, replicated, and\u00a0quantified before we can confidently recommend to the general public that taking\u00a0a Mediterranean diet will protect them from cognitive decline.<\/p>\n
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As we reflect over dessert (perhaps the sort with nuts and extra virgin olive\u00a0oil),\u00a0 we are tackling the challenges faced by an ageing population.\u00a0 These\u00a0issues include dementia, which is significant in terms of number of people\u00a0affected and the cost to the community – both socially and economically.\u00a0 As yet\u00a0we have no effective therapy to delay onset or slow progression of dementia.<\/p>\n
The Mediterranean Diet already has been shown to confer benefits from a\u00a0cardiovascular stand point, and Martinez-Lapiscina’s study suggests\u00a0it has neuroprotective benefits too.<\/p>\n
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So, do you have a say in what your patients are eating?<\/p>\n
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And what’s on your plate?<\/p>\n
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1) Martinez-Lapiscina et al, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2013;84:1318-1325\u00a0doi:10.1136\/jnnp-2012-304792<\/p>\n
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2)\u00a0 Scarmeas, J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2013;84:1297\u00a0doi:10.1136\/jnnp-2013-305153<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pull up a chair next to the cardiologists and have a look at the menu – seems\u00a0like the Mediterranean diet remains flavour of the day. What is this Mediterranean diet?\u00a0 Well, if I can take you on a ‘Cook’s tour’\u00a0(excuse the pun…it gets worse…), this diet essentially puts emphasis on\u00a0extra virgin olive oil and nuts […]<\/p>\n