Saturated Fats and Alzheimer's Disease

Cutting back on saturated fats and replacing them with polyunsaturated fats may help lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease. A Finnish study presented at the 10th International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders compared the cognitive skills of 1,409 people in middle age and in old age. Dietary information was supplied through a questionnaire and interviews. At the end of the 21-year study period, 82 of the participants had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment. Cognitive decline was seen in those who had a high intake of saturated fats from dairy products.

By contrast, those with a high intake of polyunsaturated fats (from, say, olive oil and fish) and who were physically active, demonstrated better cognitive function overall, as well as better physical co-ordination, even in those identified as having the ApoE e4 gene, which is associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.