The Associations Between Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Neurodegenerative Diseases Risk: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Neuroscience
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, represent a growing global health concern.
• Dietary factors, such as flavonoid intake, are increasingly investigated for their potential role in disease prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between dietary flavonoid consumption and the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.
• To identify specific flavonoid subclasses that may confer protective effects against NDs.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 13,573 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
• Utilized weighted logistic regression, ROC curve analysis, restricted cubic splines, and subgroup analyses.
• Adjusted for various demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and clinical factors.

Main Results:

• Higher total flavonoid intake was significantly associated with lower odds of NDs (Q4 vs. Q1: OR=0.52).
• Flavones (Q4 vs. Q1: OR=0.49) and flavonols (Q4 vs. Q1: OR=0.53) showed the strongest inverse associations.
• Optimal intake levels for reduced ND risk were identified: ~432 mg/day for total flavonoids, 1.7 mg/day for flavones, and 29 mg/day for flavonols.

Conclusions:

• Dietary flavonoid intake, particularly from flavones and flavonols, is inversely associated with the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
• Moderate consumption of these specific flavonoid subclasses may contribute to neuroprotection.
• Findings suggest a potential dietary strategy for mitigating ND risk.