Public Health

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Nutritional Science
• Gerontology

Background:

• The MIND diet, a hybrid of Mediterranean and DASH diets, is linked to cognitive health and reduced Alzheimer's risk.
• Assessing MIND diet adherence typically involves lengthy food frequency questionnaires (FFQs).
• This study validates a brief MIND diet screener against a comprehensive FFQ.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the concurrent validity of a 15-item MIND diet screener compared to a detailed computerized FFQ.
• To assess the reliability and agreement between the two dietary assessment methods.
• To evaluate the screener's utility in distinguishing cognitive groups.

Main Methods:

• 94 participants from the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Research Center completed both the MIND diet screener and Vioscreen FFQ.
• MIND diet scores (0-15) were calculated using identical criteria for both instruments.
• Agreement was assessed using Pearson correlation, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), and tertile-based cross-classification.

Main Results:

• The MIND screener yielded higher scores (mean 10.05) than the FFQ (mean 7.49), indicating potential overestimation.
• Moderate correlation (r=0.63) and consistency (ICC=0.64) were found between the screener and FFQ.
• Significant differences in MIND scores were observed between cognitively normal and mild cognitive impairment groups, with the screener score remaining marginally significant after adjustments.

Conclusions:

• The MIND diet screener demonstrates moderate validity and consistency for rapid MIND diet adherence estimation.
• Participants tend to overestimate their adherence when using the screener compared to FFQs.
• The screener is a potentially valuable tool for research and clinical settings requiring quick dietary assessments.