Adherence to Mediterranean diet and subjective cognitive function in men

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Epidemiology
• Cognitive Health

Background:

• Previous studies suggest Mediterranean diet benefits cognition but were limited by size and duration.
• Assessing long-term adherence to dietary patterns and cognitive function is crucial for understanding preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prospectively examine the association between long-term Mediterranean diet adherence and self-reported subjective cognitive function (SCF).

Main Methods:

• Prospective observational study within the Health Professionals' Follow-up Study cohort (n=27,842 men).
• Mediterranean diet (MD) score calculated from food frequency questionnaires (1986-2002).
• Self-reported SCF assessed in 2008 and 2012, validated with APOE4 genetic variants.

Main Results:

• Men in the highest MD score quintile had 36% lower odds of poor SCF and 24% lower odds of moderate SCF compared to the lowest quintile.
• Both remote and recent dietary intake contributed to the observed association.
• Associations remained significant even when using baseline diet data with a 22-year lag.

Conclusions:

• Long-term adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern is strongly associated with better subjective cognitive function.
• These findings support the role of healthy dietary patterns in preventing or delaying cognitive decline.