Olive oil and Diet and Risk of Dementia Related Death (May 2024)

Take Home

Intake of 7 g or 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil was associated with a reduction in dementia related death in this large prospective cohort study. This effect was independent of diet quality. This is a simple, easy to recommend guideline for patients to adjust their dietary habits to positively impact their dementia related health risks.

Study Design

The study involved 92,383 participants (60,582 women and 31,801 men) who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at the start. The average age was 56.4 years. Olive oil consumption was measured every four years using a food frequency questionnaire. Participants were categorized based on their average daily olive oil intake. Diet quality was assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index and the Mediterranean Diet score. The study used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regressions to adjust for various confounders, including lifestyle and sociodemographic factors. Researchers also factored in genetic predispositions by considering the apolipoprotein ε4 allele, known to increase dementia risk. The results remained consistent even after adjusting for this genetic factor.

Results

Over a 28-year follow-up period, 4,751 dementia-related deaths were documented. Higher olive oil intake (more than 7 grams/day) was associated with a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death compared to those who never or rarely consumed olive oil. This association was independent of diet quality. Substitution of 5 grams/day of margarine or mayonnaise with olive oil was associated with an 8% to 14% lower risk of dementia mortality.

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