The Quality of Dietary Carbohydrates Plays a Key Role in Dementia Prevention
A study by the Metabolic Nutrition and Health (NuMeH) research group at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) and the Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology Center (TecnATox), together with the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV), shows that the quality of dietary carbohydrates is key to preventing dementia. By analyzing data from more than 200,000 adults in the United Kingdom over a period of more than 13 years, the researchers observed that diets with a low glycemic index-based on fruits, legumes, and whole grains-are associated with a lower risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Specifically, a diet with a low to moderate glycemic index reduces the risk of Alzheimer's by 16%, whereas higher values increase the risk by 14%. The study highlights that both the quantity and quality of carbohydrates play a decisive role in brain health and healthy aging.
Reference: Novau-Ferré N, Mateu-Fabregat J, Papagiannopoulos CK, Chalitsios CV, Panisello L, Markozannes G, Tsilidis KK, Bulló M, Papandreou C. Glycemic index, glycemic load, and risk of dementia: a prospective analysis within the UK Biobank cohort. Int J Epidemiol. 2025 Oct 14;54(6):dyaf182. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyaf182. PMID: 41177554.
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