Olive Oil Consumption Tied to Reduced Dementia Mortality Risk, Study Finds

As age-standardized dementia mortality rates continue to climb, a recent study has shed light on the potential protective effects of olive oil consumption against dementia-related death. This study, published in JAMA Network Open, was conducted over 28 years as part of the Nurses' Health Study (NHS) and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) and included 92,383 participants. The researchers aimed to explore how olive oil intake, as part of individual diet quality, may influence the risk of dementia-related mortality.

The participants who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at the study's outset were observed for olive oil consumption and diet quality based on the Alternative Healthy Eating Index and the Mediterranean Diet score. The outcome was the number of dementia deaths, with adjustments for potential confounding factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Key results from this study indicated a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death among individuals consuming at least 7 grams per day of olive oil compared to those who rarely or never consumed it. This association persisted even after considering the carriers of the APOE ε4 allele, which is known to increase the risk of dementia. Moreover, no connections between the participants' overall diet quality and the observed protective effect of olive oil were found.

Additionally, the study highlighted potential benefits of substituting certain fats with olive oil. Specifically, replacing just 5 grams per day of margarine or mayonnaise with an equivalent amount of olive oil associated with an 8% to 14% lower risk of dementia mortality. In contrast, substitutions for other vegetable oils or butter did not yield significant results.

Overall, the findings emphasize the potential health benefits of including olive oil in the diet beyond heart health, suggesting its role in preserving cognitive function. These results have implications for dietary recommendations and public health, reinforcing the idea of choosing olive oil and other vegetable oils for improved cognitive-related health outcomes.

The complete findings of this investigative study into olive oil intake and its relationship with dementia mortality are accessible in the JAMA Network Open journal, which can be found at the following link: JAMA Network Open Article. This research contributes to a better understanding of lifestyle factors that may mitigate the risk of dementia-related death, highlighting the importance of diet in cognitive health.

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