10.22.2005
Alzheimer's Americans 2nd Greatest Health Fear
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A new study from St. Louis reveals that Alzheimer's has passed former top-ranked health concerns to now rank a close second to cancer as the greatest health concern facing this and future generations....
St. Louis, Missouri (AHN) - A study released Saturday reveals that memory loss is the second greatest health fear amongst Americans behind cancer, according to national survey results released today by Martek Biosciences.
Nearly 83-percent of survey respondents say they are doing something they believe will promote brain health, such as physical exercise (60 percent) or mental exercise (53 percent), but only four in 10 claim to eat foods they believe will help their brains, such as those rich in DHA.
Several studies have associated a high dietary intake of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA with a reduced risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
"DHA is the most important fat for your brain. While brain degenerative diseases are not curable, they may be preventable, and studies have shown that DHA may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease regardless of genetic history," says David Perlmutter, M.D., FACN, board-certified neurologist, Fellow of the American College of Nutrition and internationally recognized leader in the field of nutritional influences in neurological disorders.
While most survey respondents (78 percent) are aware that fatty fish is important for the brain, just about half (51 percent) say they are not familiar with the health benefits of DHA. DHA is a major structural fat in the gray matter of the brain that supports brain development and ongoing function throughout life.
