Eat grilled fish and reduce dementia risk

People who eat baked or grilled fish on a weekly basis may be improving their brain health and cutting the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study.

The findings showed that weekly baked or grilled fish consumption was positively associated with grey matter volumes. Decreases in grey matter volume indicate that brain cells are shrinking.

Researchers said the results also demonstrated increased levels of cognition in people who ate fish cooked either of those ways. But eating fried fish was not shown to increase brain volume or protect against cognitive decline.

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Cyrus Raji, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre and School of Medicine, said: “This is the first study to establish a direct relationship between fish consumption, brain structure and Alzheimer’s risk.”

The findings of the decade-long study, which are to be presented at the annual Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting, centred on 260 healthy individuals.

Dr Anne Corbett, research manger of the Alzheimer’s Society, added: “This study adds weight to existing evidence that eating fish cuts cognitive decline risk.

“However, it did not account for lifestyle factors such as other foods or exercise which could also have had an effect.”