Eating more food and drinks rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea and red wine, can lower the risk of dementia by 28%, a study suggests.
The number of people living with the disease worldwide is expected to nearly triple to 153 million by 2050, posing a rapidly increasing threat to global health and social care systems.
Age and genetics remain the biggest risk factors, but experts say almost half of cases can be prevented or delayed, and there is growing evidence that diet may play a role in the risk of developing the disease.
Research led by Queen’s University Belfast suggests that increasing the intake of flavonoid-rich foods and drinks can help reduce the risk of dementia by more than a quarter.
Academics have said that flavonoids, which are mainly found in plant-based foods, have a range of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. They are also linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, as well as improved cognitive function.
The findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open. The study’s lead researcher, Prof Aedin Cassidy, said: “The global incidence of dementia continues to increase rapidly. In this population-based cohort study, we analyzed dietary data from over 120,000 adults aged between 40 and 70 years from the UK Biobank.
“Our findings show that consuming six additional servings of flavonoid-rich foods per day, especially berries, tea and red wine, was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia. The findings were most striking in individuals at high genetic risk, as well as in those with symptoms of depression.”
The first author of the study, Dr Amy Jennings, also from Queen’s, said the results suggest that taking a simple step such as increasing daily consumption of flavonoid-rich foods can lower dementia risk, particularly in people at high risk .
“There is currently no effective treatment for the disease, so preventive interventions to improve health and quality of life – and reduce social and economic costs – must continue to be a major public health priority,” she said.
last month, a milestone report of the Lancet Commission on Dementia concluded that addressing 14 modifiable risk factors, beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life, could prevent or delay 45% of dementia cases.
The report added two new risk factors associated with 9% of dementia cases. About 7% of cases are linked to high low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol, in midlife from around age 40, while 2% are attributed to untreated vision loss in later life.
The new risk factors are in addition to 12 identified by the Lancet Commission in 2020, which together account for approximately 36% of dementia cases.
These are: lower levels of education, hearing impairment, high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, excessive alcohol consumption, traumatic brain injury, air pollution and social isolation.
