New York, Feb 26: Want to improve your cardiac function,cognitive health? Plant-based diets may help, say researchers.
The study suggests that by eating more plant-based food suchas berries and green leafy vegetables while limiting consumption of foods highin saturated fat and animal products, may slow down heart failure andultimately lower risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
"Our findings highlight the importance of adherence tothe MIND diet for a better cardiovascular health and further reduce the burdenof cardiovascular disease in the community," said researcher VanessaXanthakis, Assistant Professor at the Boston University.
Heart failure is associated with higher risk of cognitivedecline and dementia. Similarly, changes in cardiac structure and function(cardiac remodelling) that precede the appearance of heart failure areassociated with poor cognitive function and cerebral health.
The adoption of diets, such as the Mediterranean diet (MIND)and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), which are characterizedby high intakes of plant-based foods are among lifestyle recommendations forthe prevention of heart failure.
However, whether a dietary pattern that emphasizes foodsthought to promote the maintenance of neurocognitive health also mitigateschanges in cardiac structure and function (cardiac remodelling) has beenunclear until now.
For the study, published in the journal British Journal ofNutrition, the research team evaluated the dietary and echocardiographic dataof 2,512 participants.
The team compared their MIND diet score to measures ofcardiac structure and function and observed that a dietary pattern thatemphasizes foods thought to promote the maintenance of neurocognitive healthalso mitigates cardiac remodelling.
The researcher acknowledges that following a healthy dietmay not always be easy or fit with today's busy schedules, people should make aconcerted effort to adhere to healthy eating to help lower risk of disease andachieve better quality of life.