Research on the role of diet and healthy aging continues to evolve. Limited evidence suggests that dietary patterns containing vegetables, fruits, unsaturated vegetable oils and/or nuts, legumes, and fish or seafood consumed during adulthood are associated with lower risk of age-related cognitive impairment and/or dementia. Although there is no way to prevent diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, people of all ages can take steps to improve overall health and well-being.
According to a study2 by researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, higher walnut consumption – both in terms of the amount and frequency – may be associated with a lower risk of death and an increase in life expectancy among older adults in the U.S., compared to non-walnut consumers. Eating five or more servings per week was associated with a 14% lower risk of death (from any cause), 25% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases, and a gain in about 1.3 years of life expectancy, compared to non-walnut consumers.
An animal study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that a diet including walnuts may play a role in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The study found significant improvement in learning ability, memory, reducing anxiety, and motor development in mice fed a walnut-enriched diet.
A publication in The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging revealed that eating walnuts was associated with improved performance on cognitive function tests, including those for memory, concentration, and information processing speed. Participants included adults ages 20-59 as well as 60 and over.
Eating a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts (primarily walnuts) may reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline in an older population, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.6 Participants, a subcohort of the Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea (PREDIMED) trial, were randomly assigned to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts (15g walnuts, 7.5g almonds, and 7.5g hazelnuts per day) or extra virgin olive oil (at least 50g or 4 tablespoons per day), or a low-fat diet (control group). The study found that participants who consumed a Mediterranean diet with nuts, including walnuts, showed improvements in memory compared to a control diet.
