The relationship between dietary complexity and cognitive function in Guangxi, China: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Neuroscience
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Dietary composition's complex relationship with cognitive decline requires further investigation.
• Understanding diet-cognition links is crucial for public health strategies.
• Previous studies have not adequately explored specific food item associations with cognitive impairment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the association between specific food items and the risk of cognitive impairment.
• To investigate potential sex differences in the diet-cognition relationship.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of an ecological longevity cohort.
• Included 2881 participants (1086 men, 1795 women) aged 30+ years.
• Utilized Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) to analyze food item associations with cognitive function.

Main Results:

• Fresh fruit consumption showed a significant association with cognitive function in all participants (OR=0.999, p=0.021).
• The BKMR model revealed no significant correlations between 18 food items and cognitive function in women.
• In men, fresh fruit consumption was negatively correlated with the predicted risk of cognitive function disorders across different percentile values.

Conclusions:

• A negative association between fresh fruit consumption and cognitive function disorders was observed in men.
• This association was not apparent in women, suggesting potential sex-specific effects.
• Dietary interventions focusing on fresh fruit may benefit cognitive health in men.