Here is something interesting. W Grant has found a cross-cultural
relationship between fat intake and Alzheimer's Disease. Read the full
paper in a peer-reviewed journal on-line at
http://www.coa.uky.edu/ADReview/contents.htm

>>Dietary Links to Alzheimer's Disease
>>
>>William B. Grant, PhD
>>803 Marlbank Drive, Yorktown, VA 23692-4353 [log in to unmask]
>>
>>Extended Abstract
>>Based on recent findings that elderly African- and Japanese-Americans
>>have much higher prevalence of AD (6.24% and 4.1%, respectively) than
>>those still living in their ethnic homelands (<2%), a meta-analysis of
>>epidemiological (population) data of Alzheimer's disease (AD) was
>>conducted.  Regression analyses were performed on the prevalence of AD
>>in the 65+ age population for 11 countries obtained from 18 community-
>>wide studies versus components of the national diets.  The primary
>>findings are that fat and total caloric supply have the highest correlations
>>with AD prevalence rates (r2 = 0.932 and 0.880, respectively
>>(p<0.001)).  Regression analysis performed on a subset of 7 European
>>and North American countries also indicates that fish consumption reduces
>>the risk of developing AD, which is consistent with a recent study in The
>>Netherlands.  The results of the statistical analysis are also consistent with
>>previous studies showing that excess fat (linoleic acid) consumption leads
>>to inflammation and that both fat and excess caloric consumption
>>contribute to oxidative stress from free radicals.  Cross-correlations
>>between the prevalence of dementia and other chronic degenerative
>>diseases (CDDs) in 8 geopolitical regions of the world show very high
>>correlations between dementia and many brain disorders, cancers, and
>>cardiovascular diseases, most of which have been linked to diet, especially
>>to fat.  Statistical analyses applied to both AD incidence and prevalence
>>rates indicate that the diet just prior to the development of AD is the most
>>critical in determining the risk for developing AD.
>>
>>A review of the literature on diet/nutrition and CDD suggests that diets
>>high in total calories including acidic drinks, alcohol, fat, salt and sugars
>>promote trace mineral imbalances and elevated free radical production in
>>the body.  Several dietary components and supplements have been found
>>effective in delaying the onset of AD, including antioxidants, estrogen (for
>>post-menopausal women), fish or fish oil, and anti-inflammatory
>>substances.
>>
>>The prevalence of AD in the U.S. is estimated to be 5.1+0.6% of those
>>over the age of 65 years.  This translates to 1.7+0.2 million over the age
>>of 65 and 0.4+0.1 under the age of 65.  This gives a 0.87+0.10%
>>probability of having AD at the age of 65, with the probability increasing
>>by a factor of 1.146 for each additional year of age.  The total cost to the
>>U.S. is estimated to be $100 billion per year.
>>
>>While the results of this study suggest that diet is an important risk factor
>>for the development of Alzheimer's disease, and that AD is, thus,
>>preventable in many cases, additional research is, of course, warranted.

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Staffan Lindeberg M.D. Ph.D. Dept of Community Health Sciences, Lund
University, Mailing address: Dr Staffan Lindeberg, Primary Health Care
Centre, Sjobo, S-22738 Sweden, +46 416 28140, Fax +46 416 18395
<[log in to unmask]> http://www.panix.com/~paleodiet/lindeberg/
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