Anti-Inflammatory Mediterranean Diet May Help Slow Early Memory Decline, Study Finds - Video

A recent study published in BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies examined how adherence to different Mediterranean-style diets and the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) impacts memory complaints and subtle cognitive decline in women over 50.

Researchers focused on three diet models: the standard Mediterranean diet (MED), the MIND diet designed for brain health, and the anti-inflammatory Mediterranean diet (AnMED), which excludes pro-inflammatory foods like refined grains, sugars, and dairy products.

The study enrolled 348 women aged around 70, collecting detailed diet information and assessing cognitive and psychological health with questionnaires and cognitive tests.

The methodology involved cross-sectional data collection at community pharmacies and health centers in Spain over five months. Trained interviewers recorded dietary intake using food frequency questionnaires and calculated adherence scores based on specific diet criteria. Cognitive status was evaluated using tools like the Memory Impairment Screen and the Short Portable Mental Questionnaire. Statistical analyses including logistic regression and odds ratios assessed associations between diet adherence and cognitive outcomes.

Findings revealed that while MED and MIND diets did not show significant links to subjective memory complaints (SMC) or cognitive decline, the AnMED diet strongly protected against SMC. Women highly adherent to the AnMED diet were much less likely to experience memory issues, even after adjusting for factors like depression and diabetes.

Higher consumption of leafy and non-leafy vegetables, legumes, and nuts correlated with reduced memory complaints, whereas dairy, refined grains, and sugary foods increased risk. Lower DII scores, reflecting reduced inflammation, were also associated with fewer memory concerns.

This study highlights anti-inflammatory dietary patterns emphasizing plant foods as promising strategies to protect brain health among older women.

Although limited by its cross-sectional design and self-reported data, the research supports the potential of targeted nutrition in preventing early cognitive problems and calls for longer-term studies to confirm these benefits.

REFERENCE: Lopez de Coca, T., Sala-Climent, M., Bosch, L., de las Heras-Santos, N., Muñoz-Almaraz, F.J., Moreno, L. (2025). Evidence of an anti-inflammatory diet as a key protector for subjective memory complaints in women. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. DOI: 10.1186/s12906-025-05195-0, https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-025-05195-0