Mediterranean Diet Not Linked with Delay of Clinical Onset of Huntington Disease

A Mediterranean diet does not delay the clinical onset of Huntington disease (phenoconversion), reveals a new finding.

A Columbia University research states that  a Mediterranean diet (MedDi) does not delay the onset of Huntington disease.

The researchers worked on data of 1,001 participants who were a part of the Prospective Huntington at Risk Observational Study (PHAROS) that was conducted between July 1999 and January 2004. The participants were followed every nine months until 2010. They were asked to complete questionnaires on their food frequency 33 month after the start of the study.  Nearly 211 participants of ages 26-57 years experienced an expanded CAG repeat length greater than 37. (CAG is a certain genetic characteristics).

Incorporating a MedDi plan is sensible as it includes plant foods such as cereals, nuts, legumes, fruits and fish with olive oil. It is low on dairy food. MedDi is often touted for its heart health benefits. If eaten for a number of years, MedDi lowers the risk of developing heart ailments and protects against type 2 diabetes as well as other chronic diseases.

In the study, those with the highest body mass index were linked with reduced adherence to MedDi. Nearly 31 participants phenoconverted. After taking into consideration factors like age, CAG repeat length and caloric intake they noticed no association between MedDi and phenoconversions.

On analyzing the individual components of MedDi, high diary consumption as well as intake of high calories was strongly associated with the risk of phenoconversion.

Huntington's disease is a hereditary disorder that leads to the degeneration of the nerve cells in the brain. It has a great impact on a person's functional abilities resulting in a cognitive disorder as well as movement and psychiatric disorder. The onset of the disease may begin before the age of 20 but the signs and symptoms appear later in life in the 40s-50s.

The researchers concluded stating, "Our results suggest that studies of diet and energy expenditure in premanifest HD may provide data for both nonpharmacological interventions and pharmacological interventions to modify specific components of diet that may delay the onset of HD."

Karen Marder, M.D., M.P.H., of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, and her colleagues, conducted the study.

The study has been published in JAMA Neurology