A new study has found that a Mediterranean diet - rich in fruit, vegetables and legumes, as well as fish, cereals and monounsaturated fatty acids - could help people with Alzheimer’s disease live longer.

An American study revealed that a Mediterranean diet may help people suffering from the debilitating illness to live longer than patients who eat traditional western foods, known for being high in saturated fats and hydrogenated oils and lower in fruits and vegetables.

The research, published in the American Academy of Neurology, followed 192 people with Alzheimer’s disease in New York for an average of four and a half years.

Researchers found that those who most closely followed a Mediterranean diet - characterised by higher intake of plant food and fish, moderate intake of wine and lower intake of animal products - were 76 per cent less likely to die during the study period than those who strayed from the Greek and Italian-inspired menu.