American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance

The study investigated the effects of taking omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements over a two year period on the cognitive function of participants aged 70-80 years.

According to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, the number of people with cognitive impairment is rising and it is estimated that by 2040, more than 81 million people globally will have dementia.   Alzheimer’s disease is the most common and costly of long-term health care conditions for seniors.

Some studies have suggested that high intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, most commonly found in oily fish, are important for the maintenance of good cognitive health in later life.   The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was a randomised controlled trial led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

The study enrolled 867 participants aged 70-80 years from clinics in England and Wales. Trial participants who all had good cognitive health at the start of the study were randomly assigned into two groups, one of which received fish oil capsules while the other group received a placebo for two years. Cognitive function was assessed at the start and end of the study by trained research nurses using a series of paper and pencil tests of memory and concentration.

After two years, those participants receiving fish oil capsules had significantly higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood than those participants receiving placebo capsules. However, cognitive function did not change over the course of the study in either group of participants and there was no evidence

Tags: aging, American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance, dementia, http://www.aaltci.org, http:www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/, long-term care insurance, seniors, statistics

This entry was posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010. Trackback from your own site.