Dietary and lifestyle guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease

Neal D Barnard; Ashley I Bush; Antonia Ceccarelli; James Cooper; Celeste A de Jager; Kirk I Erickson; Gary Fraser; Shelli Kesler; Susan M Levin; Brendan Lucey; Martha Clare Morris; Rosanna Squitti

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.033

Dietary and lifestyle guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease

Neurobiol Aging. 2014 Sep:35 Suppl 2:S74-8. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.033. Epub 2014 May 14.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA; Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, DC, USA. Electronic address: nbarnard@pcrm.org.
² Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
³ Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Laboratory for Neuroimaging Research, Partners MS Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Department of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
⁵ Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Ageing (OPTIMA), Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
⁶ Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁷ Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA, USA.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
⁹ Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA.
¹¹ Section on Nutrition and Nutritional Epidemiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University, Chicago, IL, USA.
¹² Department of Neuroscience, AFaR-Fatebenefratelli Hospital "San Giovanni Calibita," Rome, Italy; Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 24913896
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.03.033

Abstract

Risk of developing Alzheimer's disease is increased by older age, genetic factors, and several medical risk factors. Studies have also suggested that dietary and lifestyle factors may influence risk, raising the possibility that preventive strategies may be effective. This body of research is incomplete. However, because the most scientifically supported lifestyle factors for Alzheimer's disease are known factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, it is reasonable to provide preliminary guidance to help individuals who wish to reduce their risk. At the International Conference on Nutrition and the Brain, Washington, DC, July 19-20, 2013, speakers were asked to comment on possible guidelines for Alzheimer's disease prevention, with an aim of developing a set of practical, albeit preliminary, steps to be recommended to members of the public. From this discussion, 7 guidelines emerged related to healthful diet and exercise habits.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Copper; Dementia; Exercise; Iron; Nutrition; Prevention; Saturated fat; Trans fatty acids; Vitamin E.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Alzheimer Disease / prevention & control*
Diet, Vegetarian
Exercise / physiology
Fatty Acids / adverse effects
Humans
Life Style*
Nutrition Policy*
Risk
Trans Fatty Acids / adverse effects
Vitamin B 12 / administration & dosage
Vitamin E

Substances

Fatty Acids
Trans Fatty Acids
Vitamin E
Vitamin B 12