Dr Federica Amati, a nutritional scientist, appeared on Davina McCall’s Begin Again podcast and explained how the risk of getting dementia can be lowered by changing what you eat
A leading nutritional scientist has made the bold claim that tweaking your diet once you hit 70 could tack on a remarkable extra six years to your life!
Dr Federica Amati dropped this tasty nugget of wisdom while chatting on the Begin Again with Davina McCall podcast, stressing it’s ‘never too late’ for dietary changes to have a longevity-boosting effect.
During the informative conversation, Dr Amati revealed how adopting certain eating habits can significantly slash the chances of developing dementia, backed by robust research. General food advice from the doc included: “You don’t feel great if you’re having too much of one thing.”
She went on to tell Davina about the consistent evidence pointing to the benefits of the Mediterranean diet – think oily fish, lashings of olive oil, seeds aplenty, and piles of veggies – which not only fend off dementia but also promise extra years of life. The sooner folks start, the more they stand to gain.
The doctor elaborated: “We talked about a study where if you change your diet by aged 40 you can add 11 years. That same study looked at what happens if you change your diet aged 70 so I also like to think later in life ‘is it too late’ I get that question a lot.”
Reflecting on the urgency of such dietary shifts, she cited fresh research: “There was a study which came out last year that showed your diet aged 48 was very predictive of your risk of dementia aged 69. And everyone was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m 53. What does this mean for me?’. It’s a good study which shows the impact of the compound effect of diet.
“A recent study focusing on 70 year olds discovered that upgrading from a standard diet to one rich in Mediterranean elements, such as oily fish, extra virgin olive oil, seeds, and vegetables, can remarkably extend one’s lifespan by 6 years.”
Dr Amati highlighted the crucial point that it’s never too late for change, and any positive shift, regardless of age, will yield benefits. She elaborated: “So it’s never too late. Any change you make at any age is going to make a difference to how you feel today and tomorrow and for your long-term health.”
Emphasising practicality over perfection, she advised, “And it’s not about perfection – it’s about consistency. Find something that you can add in every day that you can keep up over time. And there will be the odd day where you go to a birthday party and all you eat is canapes and cake and that’s fine because you’re consistently looking after yourself.”
By letting go of the need for perfection, Dr Amati believes that a healthier lifestyle becomes not only more attainable but also more enjoyable. She concluded, “That moving away from perfection also makes it more achievable and more pleasurable, because, gosh, perfection is not the way to go.”
Davina, the host, quizzed: “Would you say, Fede that is the message overall that you want to convey? Don’t stress.”
To which Dr Amati responded: “Yes. My biggest thing is food is there to be a health ally. It’s there to help you, so it takes a bit of work, a bit of investment, and learning how to cook. Become your own health architect and make your home full of delicious, healthy, nourishing foods because outside at the moment, policy and the food environment aren’t great. so create a nurturing environment for yourself at home, be consistent with your choices and learn to enjoy food again – be social with it, take time to eat it, be mindful of when you’re eating to really enjoy and savour it.”
In related news, a study involving 3,000 British adults released last year has shown that diet quality at age 43 could be an indicator of dementia risk later on. Participants who filled their midlife plates with leafy greens and whole grains were notably sharper during memory tests at age 69, suggesting a clear link between nutrition and cognitive health.
Research presented at the American Society for Nutrition conference has shed light on the enduring impact of a healthy diet on cognitive function. The study, which monitored 3,059 UK adults born in 1946 for over 75 years, drew on food diaries completed at various ages to evaluate the quality of their diets, categorising them as “low”, “high”, or “moderate”.
Factors like vegetable and sugary food intake were key in determining dietary quality. The participants also underwent regular cognitive assessments to measure brain function and memory.
Divided into four groups based on cognitive and memory performance up to age 69, the study revealed a significant connection with diet. Notably, 59% of those with the weakest memory test results had low-quality diets, contrasting with 7% who maintained high-quality diets.
Conversely, in the group with exceptional memories, 36% enjoyed a high-quality diet, while only 8% had a diet deemed low-quality.
The findings reinforce existing research underscoring the importance of a balanced diet in preventing dementia, suggesting that the correlation may emerge earlier than previously thought.
To listen to the full podcast, click the link provided.
