The Mediterranean diet, characterized by high intake of plant foods and olive oil, moderate intake of fish, and low-to-moderate intake of dairy products and wine, and low intake of red meat and poultry, has been associated with many health benefits. In a 2009 French study, 1340 individuals ages 65 and older were followed over a five-year period. Over the five-year study, the cognitive scores of individuals whose diets most closely adhered to the Mediterranean diet declined only 35% as much.