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Dietary Patterns and Cognitive Function among Older Community-Dwelling Adults
Erin L Richard1,2, Gail A Laughlin3, Donna Kritz-Silverstein4
1Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA. e6richar@ucsd.edu.
Nutrients
|August 17, 2018
Summary
A healthy diet, particularly one rich in plant polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and vitamin E, may support cognitive health in older adults. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is linked to better cognitive function.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
Background:
- Diet is a key modifiable factor for cognitive health in aging.
- Understanding dietary patterns' impact on cognition is crucial for public health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate associations between dietary indices, dietary patterns, and cognitive function in older adults.
- To examine how diet influences cognitive trajectories over time.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of dietary data from 1499 participants in the Rancho Bernardo Study (1988-1992).
- Calculation of Alternate Mediterranean Diet score, Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI)-2010, and factor analysis-derived nutrient patterns.
- Assessment of global cognitive function, executive function, verbal fluency, and episodic memory from 1988-2016.
- Linear mixed models used to analyze diet-cognition associations and cognitive decline.
Main Results:
- Higher Mediterranean diet adherence correlated with better baseline global cognitive function.
- A plant polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)/vitamin E factor was linked to improved global cognitive function and executive function.
- A high sugar/low protein dietary pattern was associated with poorer cognitive function across multiple domains.
- No significant associations were found between dietary patterns and cognitive decline over time.
Conclusions:
- A diet rich in PUFA, vitamin E, and with a low sugar-to-protein ratio, exemplified by the Mediterranean diet, may benefit cognitive health in later life.
- Specific dietary patterns, rather than overall indices like AHEI-2010, show clearer associations with cognitive function.
- While diet may influence baseline cognitive status, its impact on cognitive decline requires further investigation.
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