A diet high in vitamin E foods may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by nearly 70 percent, according to researchers in Chicago.

The report on the study, which coincided with news of another study on the benefits of antioxidants (see related Alzheimer Week story), involved 815 participants from the larger Chicago Health and Aging Project.

Participants, who were at least 65-years-old and dementia-free, were followed for about four years. About a year-and-a-half after initial assessments, patients filled out questionnaires that asked for details on the types and quantities of food consumed over the past year.

Results of the study, appearing in The Journal of the American Medical Association, showed at final follow-up, 131 of the participants -- approximately 16 percent -- had developed Alzheimer's disease.

However, among those participants who had the largest intake of foods containing vitamin E, less than six percent developed Alzheimer's. After adjusting other factors, the researchers concluded that participants with the highest intake of foods containing vitamin E were 67 percent less likely to develop the disease,

Although dietary intake of vitamin C seemed to offer some protection, researchers said those results were not statistically significant.

They also said the benefits of a vitamin E-rich diet were not found in participants who carried the apoplipoprotein E-4 (APOE-4 allele), which has been linked to development of the disease.

Other Sources: Journal of the American Medical Association