Summary:
The primary risk factor for dementia is aging, but healthy dietary habits have been linked to reversing aging-related processes such as metabolic changes and reduced inflammation. Recent research has introduced the concept of epigenetic clocks, which measure biological aging. These clocks show that individuals with healthier diets tend to have a younger biological age and a slower pace of aging. In this study, the researchers tested the hypothesis that healthy diet protects against dementia because it slows the pace of biological aging. Using data from the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort and including 1,525 participants, researchers found that participants with healthier diets had a slower pace of biological aging and improved dementia-free life-spans. The researchers therefore suggested that a slower pace of aging may mediate the relationship between diet and dementia risk, with potential implications for brain aging specifically. The diet that was used to measure a healthy diet was the mediterranean diet, which is a diet abundant in fruits and vegetables, nuts, needs, legumes, and to a smaller degree, fish and lean meats.
INTRODUCTION: We tested the hypothesis that healthy diet protects against dementia because it slows the pace of biological aging.
METHODS: We analyzed Framingham Offspring Cohort data (≥60y). We measured healthy diet using the Dietary Guideline for Americans (DGA, 3 visits 1991–2008), pace of aging using the DunedinPACE epigenetic clock (2005–2008), and incident dementia and mortality using records (compiled 2005–2018).
RESULTS: Of n=1,525 included participants (mean age 69.7, 54% female), n=129 developed dementia and n=432 died over follow-up. Greater DGA adherence was associated with slower DunedinPACE and reduced risks for dementia and mortality. Slower DunedinPACE was associated with reduced risks for dementia and mortality. Slower DunedinPACE accounted for 15% of the DGA association with dementia and 39% of the DGA association with mortality.
DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that slower pace of aging mediates part of the relationship of healthy diet with reduced dementia risk. Monitoring pace of aging may inform dementia prevention.
Article Publication Date: 29/05/2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.24.23290474
