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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Oliver ShannonORCiD, Professor John MathersORCiD, Professor Emma StevensonORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of The Nutrition Society.Approximately 60 million individuals worldwide are currently living with dementia. As the median age of the world's population rises, the number of dementia cases is expected to increase markedly, and to affect ∼150 million individuals by 2050. This will create a huge and unsustainable economic and social burden across the globe. Although promising pharmacological treatment options for Alzheimer's disease - the most common cause of dementia - are starting to emerge, dementia prevention and risk reduction remain vital. In this review, we present evidence from large-scale epidemiological studies and randomised controlled trials to indicate that adherence to healthy dietary patterns could improve cognitive function and lower dementia risk. We outline potential systemic (e.g. improved cardiometabolic health, lower inflammation, modified gut microbiome composition/metabolism, slower pace of aging) and brain-specific (e.g. lower amyloid-β load, reduced brain atrophy and preserved cerebral microstructure and energetics) mechanisms of action. We also explore current gaps in our knowledge and outline potential directions for future research in this area. Our aim is to provide an update on current state of the knowledge, and to galvanise research on this important topic.
Author(s): Shannon OM, Mathers JC, Stevenson E, Siervo M
Publication type: Review
Publication status: Published
Journal: Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
Year: 2025
Pages: epub ahead of print
Online publication date: 23/05/2025
Acceptance date: 02/04/2018
ISSN (print): 0029-6651
ISSN (electronic): 1475-2719
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0029665125100050
DOI: 10.1017/S0029665125100050
