# Enhanced Mediterranean Diet for Alzheimer's Disease Prevention

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $710,549

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is now America's most expensive disease, more costly than cancer and heart
disease. Without effective therapies to slow or stop the disease, there is an increasing emphasis on developing
methods to prevent and delay the onset. Observational data, and limited clinical trial evidence, suggest that the
Mediterranean diet may slow age-related cognitive decline and delay or prevent the onset of AD. There
remains a need for rigorous data proving its effectiveness and to develop methods for delivering the diet in a
way that enhances adoption and adherence. We have a demonstrated track record of performing rigorous
dietary interventions, including a recent pilot Mediterranean diet trial. We have established methods for
delivering the intervention and have data indicating we can successfully educate older adults to adopt and
adhere to a Mediterranean diet pattern. Our Med+O package includes formal education and counseling, daily
prescriptions for olive oil, almonds, and omega-3 fatty acids, and a weekly food box through a partnership with
a major grocery chain. We now propose to test this highly scalable and reproducible approach to administering
the Med+O diet in a randomized trial testing its effectiveness versus a low fat (control) diet on cognitive change
over 1 year in older adults (n = 200 men and women ≥ 65 years). The primary endpoint compares the mean
change in pre and post-diet composite global cognition score at 12 months. Additional outcomes include
secondary composite indices of memory, executive, and visuospatial function. Aim 2 determines how Med+O
impacts brain volume and cerebral antioxidant systems (glutathione and vitamin C). Aim 3 explores the impact
of Med+O on cardiometabolic markers (blood pressure, glucose, HbA1c, insulin, advanced lipid testing, C-
reactive protein and Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2). Aim 4 includes in silico statistical simulations
that will determine the most impactful methods and outcomes for a larger, multi-site trial. The results of this
project will have important

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10177834
- **Project number:** 5R01AG060157-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** JEFFREY Murray BURNS
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $710,549
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10177834

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10177834, Enhanced Mediterranean Diet for Alzheimer's Disease Prevention (5R01AG060157-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10177834. Licensed CC0.

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