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Recent research into the Western diet and the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease has led to suggestions that a higher processed food diet produces more cases of the disease.

A French study of 8,085 women and men aged 65 or over participated in the study. None of them had dementia or Alzheimer's at the start. Their diet was noted and recorded from the beginning of the study to its end four years later. By the end there were 183 participants who had developed Alzheimer's and another 98 who had dementia.

The results revealed that the participants who had daily portions of vegetables and fruits had a 30% reduction in the likelihood of getting dementia. Those who regularly ate foods containing the omega-3 oils experienced a 60% reduced risk of getting dementia as opposed to those who did not regularly eat omega-3 oils. Walnut, canola oil and flaxseed are common sources of omega-3 oils that the people ate.

The researchers concluded that it was the consumption of omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables that was the best protection from developing dementia or Alzheimer's. In contrast those who consume high amounts of omega-6 oils like grape seed and sunflower oil significantly increase their risk.

Due to the Western diet consisting of a high proportion of processed and fast foods, people are eating 30 times the level of omega-6 oils than what is safe. This is due to the very high omega-6 oil content in the most commonly used food stuffs used in processed food.