The MedWalk collaboration: A join forces on dementia and cognitive decline
Healthy Cognition: Adopting Mediterranean diet, regular physical activity potentially shields brain health.
In an audacious endeavor, scientists from across the globe, hailing from Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, are collaboratively investigating the potential influence of a unique lifestyle intervention on dementia and cognitive decline—dubbed as the "MedWalk intervention."
MedWalk equates to a fusion of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking, two lifestyle practices with demonstrated connections to brain health.
The MedWalk Hypothesis
Previous research has linked both a Mediterranean diet and consistent walking to a strengthened brain. More intriguingly, this ongoing study aims to see whether this combination could have a synergistic effect, bolstering the deterrent powers against cognitive decline and dementias, including Alzheimer’s.
Inspired by the encouraging findings showcasing each practice's protective potential, the overarching goal is to verify the heightened benefits when integrated within a single intervention.
Study Parameters
The study, initially planned for a 2-year evaluation period, faces some adaptations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It now focuses on a year-long follow-up, with potentially broader participant recruitment from affected regions.
A key outcome of the study pertains to the 12-month variation in visual memory and learning capacities of participants. Furthermore, researchers are eager to observe this intervention’s effects on mood, quality of life, and health costs, along with cardiovascular health and arterial stiffness.
Participants & Intervention
Research participants encompass 60-to-90-year-old inhabitants residing in South Australia and Victoria, with initial recruitment from independent living retirement communities. Due to pandemic impediments, a secondary recruitment pool has been established within the larger community.
Participants are allotted to either the MedWalk intervention group or a control group retaining their regular lifestyle. The MedWalk intervention is a harmony of dietary modification in conjunction with a supervised walking program, accentuated by psychosocial behavioral change techniques. Support remains ever-present, with participants benefiting from 6 months of intensive assistance, followed by continued help for another 6 months.
Understanding the difference between the Mediterranean diet and a standard Australian diet is of import to the researchers, so they have taken steps to convey this distinction to participants. To facilitate this dietary lifestyle change, they’ve gone as far as providing participants with free extra-virgin olive oil, a cornerstone of a Mediterranean diet, along with other dietary components.
Assessments of baseline aerobic fitness gauge the participants’ starting points, and thereafter, group walking sessions are conducted for the initial 6 months, followed by monthly sessions for the remainder of the study period.
Testimonials
Conner Middelmann, a nutritionist specializing in Mediterranean diets, not part of this study, has highlighted the potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet in reducing dementia risk. Research suggests that embracing a Mediterranean diet can curb dementia incidences. Additional studies published in 2023 further substantiate these findings, demonstrating that a Mediterranean diet is associated with lower rates of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.
However, Middelmann emphasized that maintaining a healthy diet is but one aspect of maintaining brain health, and multiple factors contribute to dementia risk, including genetics, lifestyle, and overall health.
The Mediterranean diet may safeguard brain health through its rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory content, which may counteract oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, considered critical contributors to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases. Moreover, this diet is rich in omega-3 fatty acids essential for brain health, and omega-3s in general have been shown to support cognitive function and diminish cognitive decline risks.
Additionally, the Mediterranean diet fosters gut microbiome balance by virtue of its high fiber content, while reducing the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation caused by processed grains and sugars. Furthermore, ultra-processed foods—linked to dementia—are declined under this regimen. Lastly, sharing meals, a fundamental part of the Mediterranean diet, has been associated with improved brain health, as has regular exercise.
Meanwhile, research demonstrates that walking regularly can slow cognitive decline, with a higher volume of steps taken correlating to reduced dementia risk. A study found that adhering to a daily regimen of 10,000 steps lowered dementia risk by a staggering 50%.
This protective effect may revolve around walking's impact on brain blood flow, depending on intensity, duration, and frequency—ameliorating brain activity and decreasing stress levels while fostering overall well-being. Moreover, the advantages of social interaction and exposure to nature encountered during walking may additionally enhance brain health.
The data-collection phase of this study will conclude by the end of 2023. Stay tuned for the reported findings on potential improvements in brain health through the MedWalk intervention!
- The MedWalk intervention, a combination of a Mediterranean diet and regular walking, is being investigated by scientists for its potential synergistic effect on cognitive decline and dementias, such as Alzheimer’s.
- The study, which began with a 2-year evaluation period, has adapted to a year-long follow-up due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased participant recruitment from affected regions.
- Participants in the study, aged 60 to 90, are either part of the MedWalk intervention group or a control group, with the MedWalk group following a dietary modification and supervised walking program, along with psychosocial behavioral change techniques.
- The researchers aim to observe the impact of the MedWalk intervention on participants' visual memory and learning capacities, mood, quality of life, health costs, cardiovascular health, arterial stiffness, and overall mental and nutritional health.
- A nutritionist specializing in Mediterranean diets, Conner Middelmann, highlighted the potential benefits of the Mediterranean diet in reducing dementia risk, attributing this to its rich antioxidant and anti-inflammatory content, essential omega-3 fatty acids, fiber-rich meals, and diminished intake of ultra-processed foods.
- Regular walking, shown to have a protective effect against cognitive decline and dementia, is believed to offer benefits through improved brain blood flow, reduced dementia risk with higher volumes of steps taken, and enhanced brain health through social interaction and exposure to nature.
