Adherence to the MIND diet is associated with 12-year all-cause mortality in older adults

To prospectively evaluate the association of three dietary patterns: the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH diet intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet; a Mediterranean-type diet and a traditional diet, with all-cause mortality over a 12-year period in an older sample.

A longitudinal birth cohort study. We ascertained dietary patterns using FFQ data at baseline (2004-2007) and mortality using linkage data. Cox regression was used to estimate mortality hazard ratios (HR) with adjustment for confounders.

The Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 (LBC1936) study in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Dietary patterns were ascertained in 882 participants, mean age 69·5 (±0·8) years, at baseline. During the 12-year follow-up (to October 2019), 206 deaths occurred.

In the basic-adjusted model, all three dietary patterns were significantly associated with mortality, the MIND diet and Mediterranean-type diet with a lower risk and the traditional diet with a higher risk. In fully adjusted models, MIND diet score was inversely related to all-cause mortality (HR 0·88; 95 % CI 0·79, 0·97) such that the risk of death was reduced by 12 % per unit increase in MIND diet score. Participants in the top compared with the bottom third of MIND diet score had a 37 % lower risk of death (HR 0·63; 95 % CI 0·41, 0·96). No significant associations with the Mediterranean-type or traditional dietary patterns were observed in the final multivariate model.

Our findings suggest that closer adherence to the MIND diet is associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality, over 12 years of follow-up, and may constitute a valid public health recommendation for prolonged survival.