New research has given Italians an extra reason to stick with the classic Mediterranean diet. A Columbia University study has shown that, as well as fending off problems like heart trouble, diabetes and cancer, the Italian diet of pasta, fresh vegetables, fish and olive oil also slashes the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The study revealed that the diet's most loyal followers are 40% less likely to get Alzheimer's than the general population.
The less strictly a person follows the diet, the more likely they are to become an Alzheimer's sufferer. The research was conducted on 2,258 New Yorkers who follow the Mediterranean diet to varying degrees. The results have been published in the Annals of Neurology - the official journal of the American Neurological Association.
Alzheimer's is a progressive, irreversible form of dementia.
The symptoms are memory loss, followed by impaired thought and speech and, eventually, complete helplessness. There is no cure, although experts say new treatments are on the horizon.
The disease has no single cause.
Age and family history - the more individuals in a family who have the illness, the greater the likelihood of getting it - are the main risk factors. A large body of research suggests that the high-fibre Mediterranean diet has a multitude of health benefits.
These include the prevention of arthritis and hypertension. A recent, four-year study of 11,000 patients in Italian hospitals showed the diet cuts the risk of developing heart disease by half.
This is thought to be down to the high intake of antioxidant foods like certain kinds of fish (such as anchovy and tuna), tomatoes, turnips, broccoli, blackberries, and the sparing use of red meat and dairy products.
Some studies have even suggested the diet reduces the incidence of asthma in children too. However, lifestyle changes mean a growing number of Italians are drifting away from the Mediterranean diet, in favour of less healthy fast food and ready-made alternatives.
