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The Link Between Grocery Shopping and Dementia — Best Life - Best Life
Nov 26, 2022 1 min, 37 secs
However, food security and access to healthy foods that support brain health can be issues for older adults, especially those of a lower socioeconomic status.

Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian with Balance One Supplements, tells Best Life, "A variety of life circumstances can place older adults at risk of food insecurity, whether it's early health-related retirement, lack of family support, high rates of debt, sudden loss of income, undiagnosed physical or mental health conditions, poor financial planning, and more.

Food assistance programs can be beneficial in helping older adults maintain access to healthy foods that support brain health and may prevent cognitive decline.

For example, several studies have shown that food insecurity may increase dementia risk and limit cognitive function during aging, often due to decreased diet quality and increased mental distress as you age.

Specifically, researchers noted that improving food security among adults aged 50 and older can enhance their nutritional intake and lead to better brain function, thereby reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

"Less than half of the older adults who are eligible for SNAP actually participate, yet our findings showed that people using SNAP experienced two fewer years of cognitive aging over ten years compared to those who did not use the program," said senior author Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, in a statement.

Ultimately, educating people on proper nutrition and giving them access to healthy food is a surefire way to boost brain health and reduce dementia risk.

Peiyi Lu, PhD, a postdoctoral research scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia Mailman School, said in a statement, "While SNAP's primary goal is to reduce food insecurity among low-income households and to increase access to higher quantity and quality foods, eating healthier may also benefit brain health.

SNAP may also reduce stress and financial hardship, which has been linked to premature cognitive aging and reduced brain health.

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