Diet-Cognition Associations Differ in Mild Cognitive Impairment Subtypes

Area of Science:

• Nutrition science
• Neuroscience
• Gerontology

Background:

• Diet's role in cognitive function, particularly mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes, remains debated and under-researched.
• Understanding specific dietary associations with cognitive domains is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between dietary habits and cognitive function, including specific cognitive domains and MCI subtypes, in Chinese adults aged 55 and over.
• To identify specific food groups that may influence cognitive health and MCI risk in this population.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 4309 Chinese adults aged 55+ from the Community-based Cohort Study on Nervous System Diseases (2018-2019).
• Dietary habits assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.
• Cognitive function measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment; analyses employed multiple logistic and quantile regression, adjusting for confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Higher consumption of rice, legumes, vegetables, fruits, fish, and nuts correlated with better global cognitive function and lower MCI odds.
• Increased intake of wheat and eggs was associated with poorer cognitive function.
• Specific associations were observed for beef, mutton, and dairy with different MCI subtypes, showing heterogeneity.

Conclusions:

• Dietary patterns, including consumption of rice, legumes, fruits, vegetables, meat, and nuts, are associated with cognitive function and MCI risk in older Chinese adults.
• The study highlights the heterogeneity of diet-MCI subtype associations, emphasizing the need for nuanced dietary recommendations.
• Findings require validation through prospective studies to establish causality.