Go ahead — order the lobster. It just might help you avoid age-related memory loss.
Eating a weekly meal of seafood that contains omega-3 fatty acids is linked to a lower risk of cognitive decline, researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago have found. Specifically, the results showed a slower decline in two areas — remembering verbal information and the ability to quickly compare letters, objects and patterns.
The results were published recently in the journal Neurology.
Participants were separated into two groups and asked how often they ate certain types of seafood — tuna sandwiches, shellfish and other forms of fish, including fish sticks and fish cakes. The first group consumed less than one meal of seafood each week, while the second group ate at least one seafood meal.
For nearly five years, the team followed the group of 915 senior citizens, whose average age was 81.4 years. At the beginning of the study, the researchers noted that none showed signs of dementia. Each year, participants underwent cognitive testing to measure five areas of brain functioning and completed dietary questionnaires.
The study included people already taking part in an ongoing community-based study of elderly residents in northern Illinois, including those from retirement and senior housing communities, as well as those identified by church and social service agencies.
Although cognitive decline is a part of the natural aging process, the researchers said, there are steps that can help stave off memory impairment — including a regular serving of seafood.