Top
Skip to Content
LOGO(small) - Queen's University Belfast
  • Our x-twitter
  • Our facebook
  • Our linkedin
  • Our youtube
LOGO(large) - Queen's University Belfast

The Institute For Global Food Security

  • Home
  • Research
    • Nutrition and Preventive Medicine
    • Enabling Technologies, Data and Data Innovation
    • Food Integrity
    • Agriculture & Environmental Resilience
    • Research Impact
    • Research Culture
    • Research Environment
    • Recent Research Outputs
    • Postgraduate Research
  • Partnerships (including EIT Food)
    • Queen's-AFBI Alliance
  • Contact
    • Researchers and PhD supervisors
    • Key Contacts
    • Laboratory Staff
  • News
    • News Archive 2022
    • News Archive 2021
    • Covid-19 and Food podcast
    • News Archive 2020
    • News Archive 2019
    • News Archive 2018
    • News Archive 2017
    • News Archive 2016
  • Facilities (including ASSET lab)
  • Events
  • Media
  • Home
  • Research
    • Nutrition and Preventive Medicine
    • Enabling Technologies, Data and Data Innovation
    • Food Integrity
    • Agriculture & Environmental Resilience
    • Research Impact
    • Research Culture
    • Research Environment
    • Recent Research Outputs
    • Postgraduate Research
  • Partnerships (including EIT Food)
    • Queen's-AFBI Alliance
  • Contact
    • Researchers and PhD supervisors
    • Key Contacts
    • Laboratory Staff
  • News
    • News Archive 2022
    • News Archive 2021
    • Covid-19 and Food podcast
    • News Archive 2020
    • News Archive 2019
    • News Archive 2018
    • News Archive 2017
    • News Archive 2016
  • Facilities (including ASSET lab)
  • Events
  • Media
  • Our x-twitter
  • Our facebook
  • Our linkedin
  • Our youtube
In This Section
  • News Archive 2022
  • News Archive 2021
  • Covid-19 and Food podcast
  • News Archive 2020
  • News Archive 2019
  • News Archive 2018
  • News Archive 2017
  • News Archive 2016

  • Home
  • News

News

Consuming berries, tea and red wine may reduce the risk of dementia, new study shows

18 September, 2024

New research has found that those who consume more foods rich in flavonoids, such as berries, tea, red wine and dark chocolate, could lower their risk of dementia.

Led by a team of researchers at Queen’s University Belfast, the study published today in JAMA Network Open, reveals that increasing the intake of flavonoid-rich foods and drinks could help reduce the risk of developing the incurable illness.

At present, there is around one million people in the UK living with a form of dementia. This figure is projected to rise to 1.4 million people by 2040. 

While age and genetics contribute substantially to the development of the disease, evidence has shown that risk factors such as diet, can play an important role in prevention.  

Flavoniods, primarily found in plant foods, have a range of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. They have also been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, as well as improved cognitive function.

The study, led by Professor Aedín Cassidy, Co-Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Institute for Global Food Security at Queen’s commented:

“The worldwide prevalence of dementia continues to increase rapidly. In this population-based cohort study, we analysed dietary data from over 120,000 adults aged between 40 and 70 years from the UK Biobank.

“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% lower risk of dementia. The findings were most noticeable in individuals with a high genetic risk as well as those with symptoms of depression.”


First Author of the study, Dr Amy Jennings, School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s added:

“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.

“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.”

Dr Amy Jennings
School of Biological Sciences
View Profile
Media

For media enquiries, please contact Grace White, g.white@qub.ac.uk 

Share
Latest News
  • Black tea and berries could contribute to healthier ageing, research shows
    6 May, 2025
  • Managing Nature Based Risks to the UK Economy and Opportunities for Green Finance
    8 April, 2025
  • Stop chewing: New research reveals the shocking number of microplastics in a single piece of gum
    4 April, 2025
  • Research reveals that Northern Ireland is feeling strain of climate change
    3 April, 2025
  • Animals in cities are adapting to climate change, research shows
    24 February, 2025
News
  • The Institute for Global Food Security
  • News Archive 2022
  • News Archive 2021
  • Covid-19 and Food podcast
  • News Archive 2020
  • News Archive 2019
  • News Archive 2018
  • News Archive 2017
  • News Archive 2016
QUB Logo
Contact Us

Institute for Global Food Security
Biological Sciences Building
19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast
BT9 5DL

Email: IGFS@qub.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)28 9097 6514

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Research
  • Study
  • Partnerships

 

© Queen's University Belfast 2024
  • Privacy and cookies
  • Website accessibility
  • Freedom of information
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • University Policies and Procedures
Information
  • Privacy and cookies
  • Website accessibility
  • Freedom of information
  • Modern slavery statement
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • University Policies and Procedures

© Queen's University Belfast 2024

Manage cookies