Key points from article :
A recent NIA-funded study, published in JAMA Network Open, reveals that consuming olive oil is linked to a reduced risk of dying from dementia, regardless of the overall quality of an individual’s diet. The study highlights the potential brain health benefits of including olive oil in daily eating patterns. This aligns with earlier research suggesting the Mediterranean diet—rich in olive oil—may help slow cognitive decline, though the link between olive oil and dementia-related deaths had not been thoroughly studied before.
Researchers from Harvard analysed data from over 92,000 participants in two long-term studies monitoring lifestyle and health. Participants reported their olive oil consumption every four years, categorized by daily intake levels. Those who consumed more than 7 grams of olive oil per day (about half a tablespoon) had a 28% lower risk of dying from dementia compared to those who rarely or never consumed it. Replacing margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil also appeared to reduce dementia-related mortality risks, suggesting olive oil's specific benefits for brain health.
While the results are promising, the study has limitations. Most participants were health professionals with higher education levels and predominantly White, which may restrict how broadly the findings apply. Additionally, the study did not account for differences in olive oil types. Nonetheless, this research emphasizes the importance of diet as a lifestyle factor in dementia prevention and points to the need for more diverse studies to confirm these findings.
