Health
Common cooking ingredient could reduce dementia mortality risk, study suggests
Infusing more olive oil into your diet could pay big dividends for cognitive health and longevity, a new study suggests.
Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and other universities analyzed population health data for more than 92,000 adults over a 28-year period. The participants’ average age was 56 and none of them had heart disease or cancer.
They found that people who consumed over 7 grams a day of olive oil had a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death compared to those who rarely or never consumed it.
EATING ONE POPULAR FRUIT COULD HELP REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF DEVELOPING DEMENTIA, STUDY FINDS
This was the case regardless of the quality of the person’s diet.
The dietary data was gathered from questionnaires; people reported their frequency of olive oil consumption.
Researchers then compared that to the rate of dementia death.
Adding more olive oil to your diet could reduce your risk of dementia-related death, a new study suggests. (iStock)
“Substituting olive oil intake for margarine and mayonnaise was associated with lower risk of dementia mortality and may be a potential strategy to improve longevity free of dementia,” the researchers wrote in the study findings.
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“These findings extend the current dietary recommendations of choosing olive oil and other vegetable oils to the context of cognitive health and related mortality.”
The benefits of consuming olive oil come from its antioxidant properties, according to Lindsay Allan, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Back in Balance Nutrition, LLC, in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Allan was not involved in the Harvard study.
The benefits of consuming olive oil come from its antioxidant properties, a nutritionist pointed out. (iStock)
“Oxidative stress is one of the main root causes of disease — this is why we always talk about consuming plenty of antioxidant-rich foods that have the capability to ‘quench’ those free radicals or ‘oxidants’ that are causing damage to our cells,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Extra virgin olive oil is one of those foods that are super high in phenolic compounds, which act as potent antioxidants in the body,” she continued.
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“So it makes sense that consuming olive oil frequently — as opposed to those highly oxidized, processed seed oils that we find all over grocery stores — would mitigate the damage to the neurons caused by oxidative stress.”
Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, who practices as The Lupus Dietitian, was not involved in the study but commented on the health benefits of olive oil.
“A higher omega-3 intake is known to reduce dementia and cognitive decline,” said a registered dietitian nutritionist. (iStock)
“Olive oil is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutritious fat that many people don’t consume enough of,” she told Fox News Digital.
“A higher omega-3 intake is known to reduce dementia and cognitive decline. It’s great to see the association between consuming olive oil, a great source of omega 3s, and a reduced risk of dementia.”
“It would be wonderful if a particular food could delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but we do not have scientific evidence that these claims are true.”
Experts from the Alzheimer’s Association noted that the study had “significant limitations.”
“This study looked at people’s health records, death records, diet, and food frequency questionnaires to try to identify possible connections between specific food intake and risk of dementia-related death,” noted Rebecca M. Edelmayer, PhD, senior director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association.
“It is not an intervention study where some people ate olive oil and some didn’t — which is the ‘gold standard’ for the way a treatment clinical trial is conducted. That means this study can show an association or connection between two things, but can’t prove cause and effect.”
Many factors beyond diet contribute to dementia risk, experts agreed. (iStock)
Edelmayer also noted that death records may not be a reliable determination of dementia mortality, because dementia and Alzheimer’s disease are often “underreported” as a cause of death.
There is also a need for studies among wider populations, Edelmayer added, as this one mainly focused on non-Hispanic White people.
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“There is good, quality evidence that consuming more olive oil and similar vegetable oils and less animal fats has health benefits, in particular heart health benefits,” she said.
“It would be wonderful if a particular food could delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease, but we do not have scientific evidence that these claims are true. We need randomized controlled clinical trials to evaluate whether any foods have a scientifically proven beneficial effect.”
“In addition to olive oil intake, people should still aim to exercise regularly … and consume other healthy foods for the most protection against developing dementia,” a nutritionist advised. (iStock)
Experts agree that a multitude of factors come into play when assessing dementia risk.
“In addition to olive oil intake, people should still aim to exercise regularly, keep up with hobbies that stimulate their mind, and consume other healthy foods for the most protection against developing dementia,” Frierich said.
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“Additionally, other habits like smoking and alcohol use or health conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high cholesterol can contribute to the development of dementia.”
It’s also important to maintain regularly scheduled doctors’ appointments to manage other health risks, according to the experts.
Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for additional comment.
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A deadly, drug-resistant fungus already spreading rapidly through U.S. hospitals is becoming even more threatening worldwide, though there may be hope for new treatments, according to a new scientific review.
Candida auris (C. auris), often described as a “superbug fungus,” is spreading globally and increasingly resisting human immune systems, Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) researchers said in a review published in early December.
The findings reinforce prior CDC warnings that have labeled C. auris an “urgent antimicrobial threat” — the first fungal pathogen to receive that designation — as U.S. cases have surged, particularly in hospitals and long-term care centers.
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Approximately 7,000 cases were identified across dozens of U.S. states in 2025, according to the CDC, and it has reportedly been identified in at least 60 countries.
Candida auris is a drug-resistant fungus spreading in hospitals worldwide. (Nicolas Armer/Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
The review, published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, helps explain why the pathogen is so difficult to contain and warns that outdated diagnostics and limited treatments lag behind. It was conducted by Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of the Hackensack Meridian CDI in New Jersey, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit and Dr. Michail Lionakis, chief of the clinical mycology program at the National Institutes of Health.
Their findings stress the need to develop “novel antifungal agents with broad-spectrum activity against human fungal pathogens, to improve diagnostic tests and to develop immune- and vaccine-based adjunct modalities for the treatment of high-risk patients,” the researchers said in a statement.
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“In addition, future efforts should focus on raising awareness about fungal disease through developing better surveillance mechanisms, especially in resource-poor countries,” they added. “All these developments should help improve the outcomes and prognosis of patients afflicted by opportunistic fungal infections.”
Candida auris can survive on skin and hospital surfaces, allowing it to spread easily. (iStock)
First identified in 2009 from a patient’s ear sample in Japan, C. auris has since spread to dozens of countries, including the U.S., where outbreaks have forced some hospital intensive care units to shut down, according to the researchers.
The fungus poses the greatest risk to people who are already critically ill, particularly those on ventilators or with weakened immune systems. Once infected, about half of patients may die, according to some estimates.
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Unlike many other fungi, C. auris can survive on human skin and cling to hospital surfaces and medical equipment, allowing it to spread easily in healthcare settings.
“It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,” Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, previously told Fox News Digital.
Scientists say the unique cell wall structure of C. auris makes it harder to kill. (iStock)
It is also frequently misdiagnosed, delaying treatment and infection control measures.
“Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections,” Siegel said.
In September, he said intense research was ongoing to develop new treatments.
Only four major classes of antifungal drugs are currently available, and C. auris has already shown resistance to many of them. While three new antifungal drugs have been approved or are in late-stage trials, researchers warn that drug development has struggled to keep pace with the fungus’s evolution.
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Despite the sobering findings, there is still room for cautious optimism.
The fungus can cling to skin and hospital surfaces, aiding its spread. (iStock)
In separate research published in December, scientists at the University of Exeter in England discovered a potential weakness in C. auris while studying the fungus in a living-host model.
The team found that, during infection, the fungus activates specific genes to scavenge iron, a nutrient it needs to survive, according to their paper, published in the Nature portfolio journal Communications Biology in December.
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Because iron is essential for the pathogen, researchers believe drugs that block this process could eventually stop infections or even allow existing medications to be repurposed.
“We think our research may have revealed an Achilles’ heel in this lethal pathogen during active infection,” Dr. Hugh Gifford, a clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter and co-author of the study, said in a statement.
New research is underway to develop better treatments and diagnostics for C. auris. (iStock)
As researchers race to better understand the fungus, officials warn that strict infection control, rapid detection and continued investment in new treatments remain critical.
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Health experts emphasize that C. auris is not a threat to healthy people.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the CDI researchers and additional experts for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.
New flu strain emerging as a severe health threat
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to warn of a new strain of the flu that is spiking hospitalizations across the country and newfound risks of medical marijuana’s link to psychosis.
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The New York State Department of Health reported a record surge in influenza activity, with 71,123 positive flu cases recorded statewide during the week ending December 20.
Health officials said the figure represents the highest number of flu cases ever reported in a single week since influenza became a reportable disease in New York in 2004.
State health data show the weekly total reflects a 38% increase from the previous reporting period, signaling a rapidly intensifying flu season.
There have been 189,312 reported positive flu cases so far this season, while influenza-related hospitalizations rose 63% in the most recent week.
FLU BY STATE: WHERE THIS SEASON’S HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VARIANT IS SPREADING THE MOST
New York reported the highest weekly total of cases ever recorded since influenza became reportable in 2004. (iStock)
“We are seeing the highest number of flu cases ever recorded in a single week in New York state,” Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a press release.
There have been 189,312 reported flu cases so far this season, with influenza-related hospitalizations increasing 63% in the most recent week. (iStock)
Earlier this month, the department declared influenza prevalent statewide, a designation that requires unvaccinated health care workers to wear masks in patient care settings.
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Health officials continue to emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent severe illness and hospitalization from influenza.
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New Yorkers who have not yet received a seasonal flu shot are still encouraged to do so, with experts saying vaccination can offer protection even later in the season.
Health officials continue to urge New Yorkers to take preventive steps, including vaccination and staying home when sick, to limit further spread. (iStock)
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To help limit further spread, the department advises individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms — including fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches — to stay home. State health officials also recommend frequent handwashing, using hand sanitizer, and avoiding close contact with sick individuals.
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For those who become ill, officials say antiviral medications are available and are most effective when started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Health officials also added that people at higher risk for complications should contact a health care provider promptly for evaluation and possible treatment.
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The department noted that flu activity typically peaks in January, meaning case counts could continue to climb in the weeks ahead.
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