Another large study found that eating a Mediterranean diet is beneficial to health - specifically, that it is associated with a decreased risk for dementia. As much as 23% lower (compared to those who didn't eat a Mediterranean style diet)! It didn't matter if a person had a genetic risk for dementia or not - diet was more important.
By the way, other studies also find that eating a Mediterranean style diet has benefits for the brain and body.
A Mediterranean style diet is one rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans, lentils), nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, and olive oil. Some lean meat, especially chicken, and fish. This way of eating is high in fiber (good for health!). Try to avoid processed meats, highly processed foods, fast food, and hydrogenated oils. Eat less meat in general.
From Science Daily: Mediterranean diet associated with decreased risk of dementia
Experts at Newcastle University found that individuals who ate a Mediterranean-like diet had up to 23% lower risk for dementia than those who did not.
Scientists analysed data from 60,298 individuals from the UK Biobank, a large cohort including individuals from across the UK, who had completed a dietary assessment.
The authors scored individuals based on how closely their diet matched the key features of a Mediterranean one. The participants were followed for almost a decade, during which time there were 882 cases of dementia.
The authors considered each individual's genetic risk for dementia by estimating what is known as their polygenic risk -- a measure of all the different genes that are related to the risk of dementia.
"Our study suggests that eating a more Mediterranean-like diet could be one strategy to help individuals lower their risk of dementia."
The authors found there was no significant interaction between the polygenic risk for dementia and the associations between Mediterranean diet adherence. They say this may indicate that even for those with a higher genetic risk, having a better diet could reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.
"Although more research is needed in this area, this strengthens the public health message that we can all help to reduce our risk of dementia by eating a more Mediterranean-like diet."