Food for thought - Eating for brain health: Episode 60

Dementia is one of Australia's greatest health challenges, with a profound impact not only on those living with the condition, but also on families, carers and the broader healthcare system. While age remains the greatest risk factor, growing evidence shows that lifestyle - including what we eat - can play an important role in supporting brain health and reducing dementia risk.  In this episode of The Healthy Handful, host Belinda Neville speaks with Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos - one of Australia's leading experts in nutrition and the Mediterranean diet - about the relationship between diet, brain health and dementia prevention.  Together, they explore why healthy dietary patterns matter for maintaining cognitive function, the evidence supporting the Mediterranean diet, and how foods such as nuts, extra virgin olive oil, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish work together to nourish the brain.   Catherine also discusses how diets rich in highly-processed foods, saturated fats and added sugars may contribute to inflammation, vascular damage and cognitive decline over time.  Key takeaways: Cognitive decline and the risk of dementia can be reduced by at least a third through modifiable risk factors. The Mediterranean dietary pattern is one of the best-studied eating patterns for promoting brain health and reducing the risk of cognitive decline. Nuts are an important component of the Mediterranean diet, providing healthy fats, antioxidants and other nutrients that support brain health. Diets rich in highly-processed foods and low in nutrient-rich whole foods may increase inflammation and negatively affect long-term cognitive health. Access episode webpage: https://www.nutsforlife.com.au/resource/episode-60-food-for-thought-eating-for-brain-health/  About today's guest Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos is Deputy Vice-Chancellor STEM College, and Head of the Bundoora Health Precinct. As a senior academic leader, Catherine's mission is to build a high performing student-centred culture within academic and professional teams and fostering engaging learning environments co-designed with strategic industry partners. She is the Vice President of the Mediterranean Lifestyle Medicine Institute, a Board Member of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine, Advisory Board Member of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, and Chair of the Education Task Force for the World Lifestyle Medicine Organisation. An established research leader in the field of nutrition and dietetics and international standing as a leader in Mediterranean diet studies.  Catherine is an extensively cited research scholar with more than 150 scientific publications, book chapters and clinical guidelines on dietary management of chronic diseases.   Supporting resources Consensus statement on exploring the Nexus between nutrition, brain health and dementia prevention. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12986-025-00981-6 MedWalk trial https://medwalk.com.au/publications.html Findings of a pilot study investigating the effects of mediterranean diet and aerobic exercise on cognition in cognitively healthy older people living independently within aged-care facilities: The Lifestyle Intervention in Independent Living Aged Care (LIILAC) Study https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7228438/ Sign up to NutENews Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn Host: Belinda Neville Contact us: [email protected]