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Diets That Lower Inflammation Might Cut Dementia Risk, Study Indicates
- July 1, 2026
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
A diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods might help people avoid dementia, especially if they have an elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study says.
People with early blood markers of Alzheimer’s who followed a diet designed to quell inflammation lowered their dementia risk by up to 29%, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open.
“This 15-year cohort study of older adults found that greater adherence to healthier dietary patterns was associated with a reduced risk of dementia, including among participants with Alzheimer’s disease-related pathology and broader neurobiological risk,” concluded the research team led by Anja Mrhar, a researcher at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia.
For the study, researchers analyzed data for nearly 1,900 people participating in a Swedish research project on aging. The participants were 60 and older, and entered the project with no signs of dementia between March 2001 and August 2004.
During 15 years of follow-up, the participants were examined up to six times, with blood samples drawn and diet questionnaires filled out.
The research team looked at blood levels of three markers associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia:
Tau, a protein that can form toxic tangles in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients
Protein fragments of neurofilament light chain (NfL), which are released from damaged or dying brain cells
Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP), a protein produced by cells that heal and protect neurons in the brain and spinal cord
Results showed a dietary pattern that would lower inflammation reduced dementia risk by 29% among those with elevated tau levels; 21% for those with higher NfL levels; and 27% among those with elevated GFAP levels.
“These findings reinforce the importance of targeted dietary dementia prevention strategies not only for the general population but also for individuals already at elevated risk,” the research team concluded.
Emily Case, a registered dietitian at Northwell Health in New York City, reviewed the findings.
“There is strong evidence to support that an anti-inflammatory diet is great for prevention and slowing progression of Alzheimer's disease,” she said. “So being on top of our health and our nutrition, as well as getting exercise and adequate sleep, is really important to just practice every day to really optimize our health to hopefully prevent Alzheimer's disease or any kind of other cognition deficits down the line."
Case said that anti-inflammatory foods are featured in heart-healthy diets like DASH and the Mediterranean diet. Among them:
Berries and dark leafy greens that contain lots of antioxidants
Fish and walnuts, which contain omega-3 fatty acids
Fiber-rich foods like whole grains, beans, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
Healthy fats from avocados, olive oil and nuts
"Diet can really influence your genetic predispositions,” Case said. “Do we have full control of what our genes express? No, but what we can control, though, is giving our genes the best chance of expressing the best possible outcome. And that is with diet and lifestyle."
The bottom line?
"Studies show that you can't reverse it, but you can definitely improve the symptoms,” Case said of dementia. “It might be too late to cure what you might already be experiencing, but you sure can prevent a more aggressive progression by improving your diet."
More information
The National Institute on Aging has more on diet and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
SOURCES: JAMA Network Open, June 25, 2026; Emily Case, registered dietitian, Northwell Health, New York City
