Older men who chew food a lot at higher risk of dementia - and every extra bite counts By Roger Dobson for The Mail on Sunday Published: 22:57, 5 October 2024 | Updated: 22:57, 5 October 2024 e-mail View comments Chewing food excessively may be a sign that men are at risk of dementia. Men aged 60 and over who took 30 or more bites per mouthful had a 2.9-fold higher risk of developing the disease than those who took fewer than ten bites, a study found.
An extra five bites was linked to a 16 per cent increased risk. Results also shows that increased number of chews was associated with a smaller brain volume. Previous research has shown that chewing can stimulate the brain.
The more strongly people chew, the greater the blood flow to the brain, leading to more oxygen and activity in key regions of the brain. Chewing food excessively may be a sign that men are at risk of dementia (stock photo) The more strongly people chew, the greater the blood flow to the brain, leading to more oxygen and activity in key regions of the brain (stock photo) Researchers suggest men with dementia may be trying to compensate for a decline in cognitive power with frequent chewing to stimulate blood flow in the brain. The effect was not seen in women and this is thought to be because their bite is not as strong as that of men.
Researchers from Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, in South Korea, told the Journal of Korean Medical Science: 'Frequent and vigorous chewing during meals may be an ef.