William Atkins
Tuesday, 27 January 2009 21:09
Science -
Health
Page 2 of 3
The researchers divided the fifty participants into three groups:
(1) 20 women in the Calorie Restricted group: 30% reduction in calories (smaller portions) but otherwise ate food as normal,
(2) 20 women in the Unsaturated Fats Increase group: 20% increase in unsaturated fats (good, healthy fats), with an unchanged amount of total fat consumed, and
(3) 10 women in the Control group: no dietary changes were made.
The memories of each participant was checked before the study began and three months after it ended.
Dietitians advised the subjects with respect to what their dietary program should entail. However, they self-monitored their eating habits over the three-month period.
Before and after the study period the subjects were given tests that involved memorizing words.
The researchers found that the Calorie Restricted group averaged 20% improvement in memory performance while, on the other hand, the other two groups (Unsaturated Fats Increase and Control) showed no significant change in memory performance.
They stated within the abstract to their paper,
“We found a significant increase in verbal memory scores after caloric restriction …, which was correlated with decreases in fasting plasma levels of insulin and high sensitive C-reactive protein, most pronounced in subjects with best adherence to the diet …. Levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor remained unchanged.”
In other words, the improvement in memory may be linked to a decrease in insulin within the body, along with a decreased amount of overall inflammation within the body.
What else did the authors say with respect to memory and diet? Please read page three.
