Switching to an anti-inflammatory diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, as opposed to an inflammatory diet centered on red and processed meats and ultraprocessed foods like sugary cereals, sodas, fries, and ice cream, can reduce the risk of dementia by 31%, according to a new study.
This benefit was evident even in people with existing cardiometabolic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or stroke, said Abigail Dove, the lead author of the study published Monday in *JAMA Network Open*. “Following an anti-inflammatory diet was linked to a lower risk of dementia, even among those with cardiometabolic diseases who are already at higher risk for dementia,” said Dove, a doctoral student at the Aging Research Center at Karolinska Institutet in Solna, Sweden.
In fact, individuals with type 2 diabetes, stroke, or heart disease who consumed the most anti-inflammatory foods developed dementia two years later than those with similar conditions who followed a pro-inflammatory diet, she added.
Brain scans of participants who adhered to an anti-inflammatory diet also revealed significantly lower levels of neurodegeneration and vascular injury biomarkers, Dove noted.
Although the study is observational and cannot establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship, the findings align with previous research linking dietary inflammation to brain health, said Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine not involved in the study. “It is highly likely that a higher quality, less inflammatory diet directly influences multiple pathways related to brain and neurocognitive health over time,” said Katz, founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, a global coalition of experts focused on evidence-based lifestyle medicine.
### What Is an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
The exact biological mechanisms through which foods affect inflammatory pathways are not fully understood. However, researchers believe that the Western diet's heavy reliance on sugary, ultraprocessed foods and saturated fats from red and processed meats—combined with exposure to pollution, cigarette smoke, radiation, plastics, and pesticides—may increase the activation of free radicals in the body.
Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons that cause cellular damage by stealing electrons from other cells. This damage can contribute to Alzheimer's disease, other dementias, and chronic illnesses.
Additionally, highly processed and fatty foods may elevate levels of inflammatory biomarkers like C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, and tumor necrosis factor α. A November 2020 study found that people who consumed higher amounts of red and processed meats, such as bacon and sausage, along with sugary, ultraprocessed foods, had a 28% higher risk of stroke and a 46% higher risk of heart disease. A February 2019 study revealed that just a 10% increase in such foods was significantly linked to a 14% higher risk of death from all causes.
There is a way to combat this: research suggests that anti-inflammatory components like vitamins, carotenoids, and flavonoids found in fruits and vegetables may neutralize free radicals and other inflammatory markers, reducing the body's stress, according to the Mayo Clinic.
### Better Brain Health with Anti-Inflammatory Foods
The new study examined the dietary patterns of over 84,000 dementia-free adults older than 60 who had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, or stroke and were part of the UK Biobank, a longitudinal study involving participants from England, Scotland, and Wales.
Participants were asked five times about their consumption of 206 foods and 32 drinks, which were categorized based on their inflammatory and anti-inflammatory nutrient content. Researchers then reviewed medical records over the next 15 years to assess any connections between the consumption of inflammatory foods and dementia diagnoses. Additionally, nearly 9,000 participants underwent MRI brain scans.
The scans revealed that individuals with cardiometabolic diseases who consumed the most anti-inflammatory foods had larger gray matter volumes, indicating less neurodegeneration, and lower white matter intensities, signs of reduced vascular injury in the brain, compared to those who consumed more inflammatory foods.
While further research is needed, the overall message is clear, said Katz. “Even for those already dealing with a chronic cardiometabolic condition, adopting a higher quality diet seems to provide some protection for the brain, reducing and delaying both functional and anatomical signs of degradation.”
