A growing body of research is drawing a straight line from the kitchen to long-term health outcomes, with two recent studies offering compelling new evidence that diet may influence the onset of both rheumatoid arthritis and dementia. In both cases, researchers pinpointed specific plant-forward eating patterns—the EAT-Lancet and MIND diets—as potential dietary strategies for reducing the risk of disease through targeted metabolic and neurological benefits.
Diet and arthritis: EAT-Lancet shows promising results
According to a new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology, individuals who adhere to the EAT-Lancet diet have a statistically significant lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. Designed by the EAT-Lancet Commission in 2019, the diet promotes whole, minimally processed foods with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains, ultimately prioritizing both personal health and environmental sustainability.
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Researchers analyzed dietary and health data from 205,439 individuals who participated in the UK Biobank study. With a median follow-up period of 13 years, the study identified 1,897 cases of rheumatoid arthritis. Using metabolomic and genetic modeling, researchers found that those who scored highly on the EAT-Lancet diet index had a hazard ratio of 0.93 for developing rheumatoid arthritis, while those with corresponding metabolomic signatures had an even lower hazard ratio of 0.8.
“These findings hold crucial implications for public health strategies aimed at preventing RA through dietary modifications and metabolic health interventions,” Jin Feng, PhD, and colleagues wrote.
Their analysis revealed that certain metabolites associated with the EAT-Lancet diet were protective against inflammation and immune dysfunction. Omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and albumin were linked to lower risk, while elevated levels of glucose and phenylalanine were associated with increased risk.
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Additionally, the research team identified nine genes that interact with the EAT-Lancet dietary pattern, potentially mediating its anti-inflammatory effects. “These genes may influence the disease through immune cell proliferation and the modulation of inflammatory responses,” the study authors noted.
Brain health and the MIND diet
The implications of a preventative diet extend beyond arthritis. A separate study out of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago suggests that adherence to the MIND diet—a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets—is associated with a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
The MIND diet favors whole grains, leafy greens, berries, legumes, nuts, olive oil, and limits red meat, butter, sweets, and fast food. Researchers examined the brains of 809 deceased individuals who had participated in a longitudinal aging study, correlating their dietary patterns with neuropathological data collected at autopsy.
They found that people who closely followed the MIND diet during their lives had significantly lower signs of hippocampal sclerosis (HS), a neurodegenerative condition strongly associated with dementia. HS is marked by neuronal loss in the hippocampus—the area of the brain responsible for memory—and is present in approximately 20 percent of individuals with cognitive impairment.
“This cohort study of autopsied participants found that MIND diet adherence during follow-up was associated with a lower likelihood of HS, HS with LATE-NC [the most recently identified form of dementia, noted for its similarity to Alzheimer’s disease], and hippocampal neuronal loss,” the researchers wrote.
While HS can exist independently, it is often accompanied by Alzheimer’s pathology or LATE-NC, compounding the severity of cognitive impairment. By reducing hippocampal degeneration, the MIND diet may offer a dietary safeguard against a spectrum of brain diseases related to aging.
“The association of diet with dementia was partially mediated by its association with HS. These findings suggest that the MIND diet may reduce adverse brain health outcomes,” the researchers noted.
The study further emphasizes that diet is a modifiable lifestyle factor capable of influencing long-term neurological health. While previous research has shown connections between Mediterranean-style diets and cognitive resilience, this study goes further by using postmortem tissue analysis to validate the link between diet and neuropathology.
“Overall, this study supports that among older adults, adhering to a healthy dietary pattern, such as the MIND diet, is associated with reduced likelihood of hippocampal degeneration of aging, as indicated by HS, HS with LATE-NC and hippocampal neuronal loss,” the researchers explained. “Our findings also support that the association of the MIND diet with hippocampal health may partially explain the association of a healthy diet with reduced dementia risk.”
A plant-centric path to prevention
Taken together, the EAT-Lancet and MIND diet studies offer a compelling reminder that food is not only nourishment but a form of medicine. While the two diets differ in emphasis—the EAT-Lancet with its global sustainability framing, and the MIND diet with its focus on brain health—both underscore a growing consensus among scientists: diets rich in whole, plant-based foods are central to chronic disease prevention.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control, chronic diseases linked to lifestyle—including arthritis, heart disease, and cognitive decline—account for approximately 90 percent of the nation’s $4.1 trillion in annual health care costs. Meanwhile, Alzheimer’s disease affects more than six million Americans, with projected cases doubling by 2050 unless preventative interventions are implemented. Rheumatoid arthritis affects roughly 1.3 million adults in the US, with higher prevalence in women, and can lead to joint deformity and loss of function if untreated.
“These findings hold crucial implications for public health strategies,” Feng and colleagues emphasized, particularly for institutions and policy makers designing interventions for aging populations.
Both the EAT-Lancet and MIND diets suggest that a plant-centric approach—one that prioritizes fiber, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory fats—can support aging with strength and clarity. And with mounting evidence that the right diet can delay or even prevent the onset of debilitating diseases, the path forward may start on our plates.
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