February 13, 2012. The latest findings from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona could add yet another condition to the growing list of those that have been found to benefit from calorie restriction: a better memory. In research scheduled for presentation at the American Academy of Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting, to be held April 21 to April 28, 2012 in New Orleans, Yonas E. Geda, MD, MSc and associates discovered a link between decreased calorie intake and a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment, a condition that can precede Alzheimer's disease.The current study included 1,233 participants in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging, an ongoing population-based study centered in Olmsted County, Minnesota. The subjects, who were between the ages of 70 and 89, completed dietary questionnaires within one year of being interviewed. While the study excluded those with dementia, 163 subjects were determined to be cognitively impaired.
Although no significant difference was found between those whose calorie intake was among the lowest one-third at 600 to 1,526 calories per day and those whose intake was among the middle third at 1,527 to 2,142.5 calories, those whose intake was highest had 2.41 times the risk of cognitive impairment than those whose calorie consumption was lowest. The risk remained unchanged after adjustment for diabetes, stroke, education level and other factors.
"We observed a dose-response pattern which simply means; the higher the amount of calories consumed each day, the higher the risk of mild cognitive impairment," stated Dr Geda, MD who is a member of the American Academy of Neurology. "Cutting calories and eating foods that make up a healthy diet may be a simpler way to prevent memory loss as we age."
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2012_02.htm#calories-memory-loss
