Orange a day cuts the risk of dementia by a quarter: How tangy fruits could be a powerful weapon against condition
- Daily intake of citrus fruits can cut chances of developing dementia by almost a quarter, according to a study by scientists at Tohuku University in Japan
- Citric acid contains nobiletin, shown to slow or reverse impairment of memory
- It's the first major study to investigate the effects citrus fruit consumption might have on large numbers of those most at risk
Eating an orange a day could slash the risk of dementia, a major study shows.
Daily intake of any citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes can cut the chances of developing the incurable brain condition by almost a quarter, it suggests.
The findings, by a team of scientists at Tohoku University in Japan, suggest that tangy fruits could be a powerful weapon against a disease that is emerging as a modern day epidemic.
Daily intake of any citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes can cut the chances of developing the incurable brain condition by almost a quarter, it suggests
Numerous studies have suggested that citrus fruits can protect the brain against the damage that leads to dementia or Alzheimer’s. Citric acid contains the chemical nobiletin which in animal tests has been shown to slow or reverse impairment of memory.
But the new research, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, is the first major study to investigate the effect citrus fruit consumption might have on large numbers of those most at risk.
Scientists tracked more than 13,000 middle-aged or elderly men and women for several years and found those with a daily intake of citrus were 23 per cent less likely to develop dementia than those eating it less than twice a week.
The results come days after experts warned Britain faces an epidemic of dementia.
Researchers led by University College London and Liverpool University said the total affected will jump 60 per cent to 1.2million in England alone by 2040.
Citric acid contains the chemical nobiletin which in animal tests has been shown to slow or reverse impairment of memory
Without suitable health campaigns to raise awareness of how to prevent the brain disorder, experts said this figure could hit 1.9million – up from 800,000 currently.
New cases of dementia are actually falling in Britain, at a rate of over 2 per cent a year. But an ageing population means the numbers living with it will carry on rising for at least the next 20 years.
In the latest study, scientists tracked older adults for up to seven years to see how many developed dementia.
Rates of dementia among those eating citrus fruits at least once a day were significantly lower than in volunteers having them less than twice a week.
In a report, the scientists said: ‘Some biological studies have indicated citrus may have preventive effects against cognitive impairment.
‘But no study has examined the relation between citrus consumption and rates of dementia. Our findings suggest frequent consumption is linked with a lower risk of dementia.’
Cancer deaths are 'astoundingly high' in rural America as rates in cities plummet, CDC report reveals
- Cancer rates in the United States are declining overall but slower in rural areas
- There are also higher rates of death linked to certain cancers in those parts
- Rural America has higher rates of cancers related to tobacco use or lack of screenings
- The CDC report emphasized the gap in access to healthcare as a major factor
Cancer-related deaths are soaring in rural parts of the United States, despite falling overall in the rest of the country, it was revealed.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on Thursday detailed the differences in types of cancer and rates of cancer-related death in different parts of America.
It emphasized the huge gap in access to healthcare between urban and rural parts of the country.
'While geography alone can't predict your risk of cancer, it can impact prevention, diagnosis and treatment opportunities, and that's a significant public health problem,' said acting CDC Director Anne Schuchat.
Cancer-related deaths in the United States are declining overall, but are falling more slowly in rural counties, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention Report revealed (stock image)
In rural parts of the United States cancer death rates were higher, accounting for 180 deaths per 100,000 people annually, compared with 158 deaths in metropolitan areas.
However, those counties also reported fewer new cancer cases at 442 per 100,000 persons compared with 457 cases in cities.
Therefore, though there are fewer people with cancer in the countryside, those who are diagnosed are more likely to die from it than people in cities, suggesting a difference in access to healthcare and quality of treatment.
'I would say the difference in death rate is astounding,' said Electra Paskett, co-leader of the cancer control research program at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
'It's hard to quantify, but in rural areas of the United States cancer is the leading cause of death, versus heart disease in the rest of the country, so that is significant,' she explained. e
Additionally, rural communities have higher rates of certain cancers associated with tobacco use, such as lung cancer, or those that could be diagnosed through early screenings, such as colorectal or cervical.
The report also emphasized the importance of activities that could prevent cancer, such as reducing tobacco use, limiting time in the sun and getting vaccinated against cancer-causing infections such as HPV.
But, rural America has higher rates of certain cancers associated with tobacco use, such as lung cancer (bottom), or those that could be diagnosed through early screenings, such as colorectal (center) or cervical (top)
Rural healthcare providers are also encouraged to make increased use of screenings, such as colonoscopies or Pap tests.
More than 46 million Americans, or 15 percent of the country's population, live in rural areas, and face numerous health disparities compared to their urban counterparts, according to the CDC.
The drop in cancer deaths in the United States can be partly attributed to advances in oncological drug research.
But despite a spate of recent approvals, competition between newer drugs has not brought down prices, which can now top $250,000 a year.
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