Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Mar;93(3):601-7.
Adherence to a Mediterranean-type dietary pattern and cognitive decline in a community population.
Tangney CC, Kwasny MJ, Li H, Wilson RS, Evans DA, Morris MC.
Source
Department of Clinical Nutrition, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA. ctangney@rush.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Many of the foods abundant in the traditional Mediterranean diet, such as vegetables and fish, have been associated with slower cognitive decline.
OBJECTIVE:
We investigated whether adherence to a Mediterranean dietary pattern or to the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005) is associated with cognitive change in older adults.
DESIGN:
This article is based on analyses of data from an ongoing longitudinal study in adults aged ≥65 y known as the Chicago Health and Aging Project (CHAP). CHAP participants (2280 blacks and 1510 whites) with ≥2 cognitive assessments were evaluated for adherence to 1) the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MedDiet; maximum score: 55) and 2) the HEI-2005 (maximum score: 100). For both scoring systems, higher scores connote greater adherence. Cognitive function was assessed at 3-y intervals on the basis of a composite measure of global cognition. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association of dietary scores to change in cognitive function. Mean follow-up time was 7.6 y.
RESULTS:
Mean (±SD) scores for participants were 28.2 ± 0.1 for the MedDiet and 61.2 ± 9.6 for the HEI-2005. White participants had higher energy-adjusted MedDiet scores but lower HEI-2005 scores than did black participants. Higher MedDiet scores were associated with slower rates of cognitive decline (β = +0.0014 per 1-point increase, SEE = 0.0004, P = 0.0004) after adjustment for age, sex, race, education, participation in cognitive activities, and energy. No such associations were observed for HEI-2005 scores.
CONCLUSION:
The Mediterranean dietary pattern as captured by the MedDiet scoring system may reduce the rate of cognitive decline with older age.
PMID: 21177796
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
PMCID: PMC3041601 [Available on 2012/3/1]