The MIND Diet May Reduce Alzheimer’s Risk At Any Age: Study

According to a recent study from the University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center, people who adhered to the MIND diet pattern had a considerably lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s or other dementias, even if they started following it later in life. These benefits were more noticeable among African Americans, Latinos, and white participants.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most prevalent type of dementia, affecting about 6 million Americans at the moment, and as the population ages, that figure is predicted to increase [1]. Many families, whether through a parent, spouse, or friend, have personally experienced the repercussions of receiving a dementia diagnosis.

A number of risk factors are involved in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Growing evidence suggests that, in addition to genetics and age, lifestyle factors, including diet, might significantly affect your risk.

In 2015, Rush University Medical Center researchers created the MIND diet [2]. It combines the Mediterranean and DASH diets. Previous research has indicated that adhering to the MIND diet may lower an individual’s risk for dementia and mortality, in particular, as well as cognitive impairment in general, due to its focus on brain-healthy foods [3]. 

Now, a recent multiethnic study unveiled at NUTRITION 2025, the American Society for Nutrition’s flagship annual meeting, demonstrates that adhering to the MIND diet may help reduce an individual’s dementia and Alzheimer’s risk, even if they begin following the diet later in life [4, 5].

Those who identified as white, Latino, or African American benefited the most from these advantages.

The study has yet to be peer reviewed and published in a specialized journal. 

What is the MIND Diet?

The MIND diet stands for the Mediterranean-Dash intervention for neurocognitive delay. It is a combination of the well-known Mediterranean diet and the Dash diet (which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) [6]. The MIND diet does, however, include some particular dietary adjustments that have been shown to promote cognitive health.

The Dash diet and the Mediterranean diet are both based on traditional eating habits from regions that surround the Mediterranean Sea. Both recommend consuming a variety of plant-based foods (such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds), low-fat dairy products (such as milk and yoghurt), and lean proteins (such as fish and poultry). Red and processed meats are minimal in both diets. However, to lower blood pressure, the Dash diet emphasizes eating more low-sodium meals, less added sugar, and fewer saturated and trans fats. 

Researchers have extensively examined both diets, and the research has proven them to help prevent lifestyle-related disorders such as cardiovascular disease and hypertension. They may also enhance cognitive wellness and protect the brain’s neurons from damage.

The MIND diet emphasizes eating more foods that include nutrients that support brain function and prevent cognitive decline, while still adhering to many of the fundamental principles of both diets. These foods include: 

• Flavonoids and polyphenols (present in fruit, vegetables, dark chocolate, and tea)
• Folate (present in legumes and leafy greens)
• N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (present in oily fish, seeds, and nuts).

What Previous Research Demonstrates about the MIND Diet and Cognitive Health

Several studies on the MIND diet have presented rather convincing evidence of brain health benefits.

In one study, researchers asked 906 senior citizens about their typical diet. They assigned them a “Mind score” based on how many foods and nutrients they typically ate that are associated with a lower risk of dementia. Following up nearly five years later, the researchers discovered a correlation between those with a higher Mind diet score and slower cognitive deterioration [2]. 

In another study with 581 participants, those who closely followed either the Mind diet or the Mediterranean diet for at least 10 years had fewer post-mortem indications of amyloid plaques (the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s) in their brains. The most significant dietary component seemed to be a higher intake of leafy greens [7]. 

According to a systematic review of studies on the MIND diet, there is a positive correlation between cognitive function and performance and MIND diet adherence in older adults. One of the studies included in the evaluation even showed that people who followed the diet had a 53% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease [8]. 

It is crucial to remember that the majority of this research is based on food frequency questionnaires and observational studies, both of which have limitations in terms of participant bias and reliability. The review contained only one randomized controlled study. Women who were randomly assigned to follow the Mind diet for a short period, rather than a control diet, demonstrated a slight improvement in their attention and memory [9].

The Recent Study: Improving diet over time shows a 25% decline in dementia risk

The study involved the analysis of dietary data from over 93,000 individuals in the United States, aged 45 to 75, who were part of the Multiethnic Cohort Study, which started in the 1990s.

Participants included five racial and ethnic groups: Asian American, Native Hawaiian, White, Latino, and African American. Using a meal frequency questionnaire given at the beginning of the study and again ten years later, researchers evaluated each participant’s compliance with the MIND diet’s principles.

Over 21,000 people experienced dementia during the years of follow-up. The risk of dementia was 25% lower for those who increased their MIND diet adherence over ten years than for those whose adherence decreased. 

The lead author of this study, Song-Yi Park, PhD, associate professor of the Population Sciences in the Pacific Program at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center, said that they evaluated the MIND diet score by Morris’ techniques in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. They examined several healthy eating patterns and found that the MIND diet produced more consistent results than the Mediterranean, DASH, and Healthy Eating Index diets [10].

“The take-home message is encouraging,” Park said. Making changes is never too late. Even in older age, increasing your intake of nutrient-dense, plant-based foods can help protect your brain.

The MIND diet reduces the risk of dementia in white, Latino, and African American people.

The findings indicated that while Native Hawaiian and Asian American groups did not see a greater risk decrease, African American, Latino, and white individuals did. Researchers think the differences may be due to cultural food patterns and the fact that some populations inherently have lower rates of dementia. 

Park and her colleagues discovered at the end of the study that those who had the highest initial MIND diet scores were 9% less likely to develop dementia. For those who identified as white, Latino, or African American, the risk rate decreased by 13%. 

Park clarified that the majority of earlier research was on white people. In a population with greater diversity, their research validated the protective connection. They were unable to provide a convincing explanation for the racial/ethnic diversity they saw. It may be due to variations in eating habits and preferences. Additionally, the advantages of ethnic foods might not be fully captured by the MIND diet. 

Alzheimer’s Research Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. We provide the latest information and news about the illness and helpful tips to help caregivers cope with their daily caregiving challenges. We realize the most important thing that a caregiver needs is financial assistance. Therefore, we provide grants to caregivers to ease their financial burden. Caregivers can apply for grants here: Alzheimer’s Grant Application. 

You can also help caregivers in their endeavor by donating as much as possible: Donation To Alzheimer’s Research Associations.

References

1. Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer’s Association. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mind-diet-could-lower-dementia-risk-no-matter-when-in-life-you-start-it. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
2. Morris, M.C., Tangney, C.C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F.M., Barnes, L.L., Bennett, D.A. and Aggarwal, N.T., 2015. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging. Alzheimer’s & dementia, 11(9), pp.1015-1022.
3. Thomas, A., Ryan, C.P., Caspi, A., Liu, Z., Moffitt, T.E., Sugden, K., Zhou, J., Belsky, D.W. and Gu, Y., 2024. Diet, pace of biological aging, and risk of dementia in the Framingham Heart Study. Annals of neurology, 95(6), pp.1069-1079.
4. Nutrition 2025. https://nutrition.org/meeting/. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
5. MIND diet may lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease at any age. University of Hawai’i News. https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2025/06/24/mind-diet-study/. Published Online. 25th June, 2025. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
6. DASH Eating Plan. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/dash-eating-plan. Last updated: 10 January, 2025. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
7. Agarwal, P., Leurgans, S.E., Agrawal, S., Aggarwal, N.T., Cherian, L.J., James, B.D., Dhana, K., Barnes, L.L., Bennett, D.A. and Schneider, J.A., 2023. Association of Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay and Mediterranean diets with Alzheimer disease pathology. Neurology, 100(22), pp.e2259-e2268.
8. Kheirouri, S. and Alizadeh, M., 2022. MIND diet and cognitive performance in older adults: a systematic review. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 62(29), pp.8059-8077.
9. Arjmand, G., Abbas-Zadeh, M. and Eftekhari, M.H., 2022. Effect of MIND diet intervention on cognitive performance and brain structure in healthy obese women: a randomized controlled trial. Scientific reports, 12(1), p.2871.
10. Pelc, C. MIND diet could lower dementia risk no matter when in life you start it. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/mind-diet-could-lower-dementia-risk-no-matter-when-in-life-you-start-it. Published Online: 9th June, 2025. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
11. The ‘Mind’ diet is good for cognitive health – here’s what foods you should put on your plate. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/the-mind-diet-is-good-for-cognitive-health-heres-what-foods-you-should-put-on-your-plate-259106. Published Online: 4th July, 2025. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
12. Manning, J. This Diet Could Help Lower Your Dementia Risk at Any Age, New Study Suggests. Eating Well. https://www.eatingwell.com/mind-diet-dementia-study-11748383. Published Online: 5th June, 2025. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.
13. Rhoades, A. MIND diet reduces Alzheimer’s risk across age, racial groups. https://www.healio.com/news/primary-care/20250602/mind-diet-reduces-alzheimers-risk-across-age-racial-groups. Published Online: 2nd June, 2025. Accessed: 14th July, 2025.