ATLANTA (CNHI) — Malnutrition can increase your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, which can in turn make malnutrition worse. This is according to a March 2024 Chinese study published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
The study involved 266 subjects, of whom 73 were assessed as cognitively healthy, 72 had mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease, and 121 had dementia. The nutritional status of each subject was ranked according to adherence to the Mediterranean and MIND diets.
According to Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a Mediterranean diet (focused on plant foods, olive oil, cheese, yogurt, fish, poultry, wine, and fresh fruit) can reduce heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and certain conditions. Cancer, depression, and frailty in the elderly. Diet has also been shown to improve both mental and physical functioning.
The MIND diet is specifically designed for the aging brain, the school reported. Although this incorporates dietary patterns found in the Mediterranean diet, “it remains an area of interest whether following the MIND diet can slow cognitive aging over the long term.”
In a recent study conducted in China, researchers found no statistical differences between different groups in terms of ranked diet scores. However, studies have shown that subjects with Alzheimer’s disease have lower values of BMI, protein, albumin, globulin, calcium, folate, and apolipoprotein A1, smaller calf and hip circumference, and lower scores on the Mini Nutritional Assessment and Geriatric Nutrition Risk Index. It was concluded that the score was low. .
Malnutrition was found not only to be associated with accelerated progression of Alzheimer’s disease, but also to be accelerated by Alzheimer’s disease.
“The results of this study showed that the nutritional status of people with AD (Alzheimer’s disease) is worse than that of cognitively normal individuals of the same age, and that nutritional status worsens as the disease progresses.” has reported.
“Currently, the underlying causes of malnutrition in Alzheimer’s disease are still not fully understood. Factors that influence food intake, such as taste and smell impairments and decreased appetite, may contribute to poor nutrition in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. It has been suggested that it is a major cause of ataxia.
“As the disease progressed, the chronic inflammatory response gradually intensified, resulting in excessive protein and energy consumption as a major cause of malnutrition in mid- and late-stage Alzheimer’s disease.”
