There are different types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia being the most common. Dementia is not a natural part of ageing – it can affect your ability to speak, think, feel and behave. Here’s one lifestyle tweak that could reduce your likelihood of developing this condition.
Dementia can be picked up as early as the age of 45, according to the NHS.
A crucial aspect of the condition is getting diagnosed early as this can help slow down the progress or keep up a person’s mental function for longer.
However, there are also some lifestyle interventions that could help cut your risk, including diet.
According to new research published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience, high fibre foods have been found to reduce the risk of the brain condition.
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The study looked at over 3,000 Japanese adults, who were asked to complete a diet survey between 1985 and 1999.
Aged between 40 to 64 years, the cohort was “generally healthy”.
These volunteers were also followed up for two decades after to see who developed dementia.
The research revealed that those who consumed higher amounts of fibre “had a lower risk of developing dementia”.
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Professor Kazumasa Yamagishi said: “One possibility is that soluble fibre regulates the composition of gut bacteria.
“This composition may affect neuroinflammation, which plays a role in the onset of dementia.
“It’s also possible that dietary fibre may reduce other risk factors for dementia, such as body weight, blood pressure, lipids, and glucose levels.”
Although the results are promising, the researchers stress that their work is currently “at an early stage” and might have to consider other populations as well.