A new study to be published in the December issue of the Archive of Neurology indicates that eating a Mediterranean diet may lower the likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s disease. The Mediterranean diet is made up of liberal amounts of olive oil, lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals and fish, and smaller amounts of red meat and dairy products. Previously, research studies have indicated that this type of diet seems to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The study was done at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, and included 1,984 adults with an average age of 76. 194 had Alzheimer’s disease. After allowing for possible other risk factors, the researchers found that the subjects whose diets over the previous year most closely resembled the Mediterranean diet were 68 percent less likely to have Alzheimer’s than the subjects whose diets least resembled the Mediterranean diet.

The study, by Nicolaos Scarmeas and colleagues, suggested that the mechanism for the observed benefits may be the reduction of oxidation and inflammation in the body.

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