Mediterranean Diet Doesn't Cut Alzheimer's Risk

Think the Mediterranean diet will keep you from losing your marbles as you grow older? Dream on, says a new study.

Following the heart-healthy diet - which stresses fruits and vegetables, "good" fats like olive oil and spices instead of salt - might be good for your heart. But it does little to prevent memory loss or Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Exercise doesn't seem to prevent memory loss or dementia either, the study showed.

Dr. Brenda Plassman, an associate research professor at Duke University and the study's lead author, told Bloomberg Businessweek that she had hoped the study would pinpoint steps - such as eating the Mediterranean diet and exercising - that people could take to avoid dementia as they grow older. Instead, the study found evidence linking dementia to genetic factors as well as to smoking, diabetes and depression.

"We know that being physically active and eating a heart-healthy diet and staying engaged in life help the heart and body, and future research might show that these things have help protect cognition as well," Plassman told CBS News. "People should continue to eat a heart-healthy diet even though the study failed to show that dietary choices play a significant role in the development of Alzheimer's disease."

What is the Mediterranean diet?
According to the Mayo Clinic you should be:

• Getting plenty of exercise and eating your meals with family and friends
• Eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
• Consuming healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Eating small portions of nuts
• Drinking red wine, in moderation, for some
• Consuming very little red meat
• Eating fish or shellfish at least twice a week

More than five million Americans have Alzheimer's disease, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The disease is the number seven cause of death in the United States.