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Review
. 2023 Jun 29:10:1213223.
doi: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1213223. eCollection 2023.

Diet and lifestyle impact the development and progression of Alzheimer's dementia

Sarah Arora  1 , Jose A Santiago  2 , Melissa Bernstein  3 , Judith A Potashkin  1
Affiliations
Review

Diet and lifestyle impact the development and progression of Alzheimer's dementia

Sarah Arora et al. Front Nutr. .

Abstract

Dementia is a growing public health concern, with an estimated prevalence of 57 million adults worldwide. Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for 60-80% of the cases. Clinical trials testing potential drugs and neuroprotective agents have proven futile, and currently approved drugs only provide symptomatic benefits. Emerging epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that lifestyle changes, including diet and physical activity, offer an alternative therapeutic route for slowing and preventing cognitive decline and dementia. Age is the single most common risk factor for dementia, and it is associated with slowing cellular bioenergetics and metabolic processes. Therefore, a nutrient-rich diet is critical for optimal brain health. Furthermore, type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a risk factor for AD, and diets that reduce the risk of T2D may confer neuroprotection. Foods predominant in Mediterranean, MIND, and DASH diets, including fruits, leafy green vegetables, fish, nuts, and olive oil, may prevent or slow cognitive decline. The mechanisms by which these nutrients promote brain health, however, are not yet completely understood. Other dietary approaches and eating regimes, including ketogenic and intermittent fasting, are also emerging as beneficial for brain health. This review summarizes the pathophysiology, associated risk factors, and the potential neuroprotective pathways activated by several diets and eating regimes that have shown promising results in promoting brain health and preventing dementia.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; DASH diet; MIND diet; Mediterranean diet; dementia; intermittent fasting; ketogenic; type 2 diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

JS is the founder of NeuroHub Analytics, LLC. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The components of lifestyle medicine. Lifestyle medicine focuses on six pillars of a healthy lifestyle: nutrition, exercise, stress management, social support, sleep, and avoiding risky behaviors, such as smoking tobacco. Adherence to the six pillars is expected to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The influence of diet and dietary components in dementia. Eating more nutrient-rich whole foods in a healthy diet reduces the risk of dementia. B. Eating more ultra-processed foods in a Western diet increases the risk of dementia (42).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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