Blood Pressure Dietary Program May Boost Brain Function

Previous studies have revealed the benefits of lifestyle modifications, such as diet and exercise, to lower blood pressure and improve brain activity.   The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, which emphasizes low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables, is a common potential dietary recommendation for blood pressure reduction.  James A. Blumenthal, from Duke University Medical Center (North Carolina, USA), and colleagues assessed the combined effects of diet and exercise on brainpower in overweight people with high blood pressure.  The team enrolled 144 overweight (BMI of 25 to 40 kg/m2) men and women, average age 52 years, with high blood pressure, and assigned each to one of three groups: the DASH diet in combination with an aerobic exercise program (30 minutes of exercise, three times a week); DASH diet alone; no dietary or exercise recommendations, for a four-month long study period.  The researchers assessed the subjects’ brain function and mental skills, at the study’s start and conclusion. They found that those participants who followed the DASH diet in combination with aerobic exercise experienced a 30% improvement in brain function as well as lower blood pressure, improved their cardiovascular fitness, and lost an average of 19 pounds by the end of the study.