Britons rejoice! Nation's favourite drink could slash risk of dementia by 30 percent, finds major new study

Flavonoids, primarily found in plant-based foods, have been linked to various health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, investigated whether this extended to cognitive function. Researchers analysed dietary data from over 120,000 adults aged 40 to 70 years from the UK Biobank.

Professor Aedin Cassidy, Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's, stated: "Our findings show that consuming six additional servings of flavonoid-rich foods per day, in particular berries, tea and red wine, was associated with a 28 per cent lower risk of dementia."

The results were particularly notable for individuals with a high genetic risk and those experiencing symptoms of depression.

Doctor Amy Jennings, first author of the study from the School of Biological Sciences at Queen's, emphasised the public health implications: "These results provide a clear public health message as they suggest that a simple measure such as increasing daily consumption of flavonoid-rich foods may lower dementia risk, especially in populations at high risk."

With approximately one million people in the UK currently living with dementia and projections suggesting this figure could rise to 1.4 million by 2040, preventive measures are crucial.

While age and genetics play significant roles in dementia development, the study highlights that modifiable risk factors like diet can be important in prevention.

Other flavonoid-rich foods mentioned in the research include dark chocolate, which could contribute to lowering dementia risk.

The findings are particularly relevant given the lack of effective treatments for dementia. Doctor Jennings noted: "Currently, there is no effective treatment for the disease so preventive interventions to improve health and quality of life, and reduce social and economic costs, should continue to be a major public health priority."

Previous studies have found that drinking tea may be associated with a lower risk of dementia.

A study published in PLOS Medicine found that people who drank two to three cups of tea and two to three cups of coffee per day had a 30 per cent lower risk of dementia and stroke than those who didn't drink either.

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Researchers in this study found that drinking tea and coffee was linked to a lower risk of having an ischaemic stroke (caused by a blocked blood vessel) and vascular dementia, rather than a haemorrhagic stroke (caused by a burst blood vessel) or Alzheimer’s disease.

It's thought that tea improves brain circuits, structure, and memory due to plant compounds like catechin and L-theanine.