Relation of DASH- and Mediterranean-like dietary patterns to cognitive decline in older persons.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

We examined whether accordance to the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) and Mediterranean diets is associated with slower cognitive decline in a prospective Chicago cohort study of older persons, the Memory and Aging Project.

METHODS:

The sample comprised 826 Memory and Aging Project participants (aged 81.5 ± 7.1 years) who completed a 144-item food frequency questionnaire at baseline and 2 or more cognitive assessments over 4.1 years. Dietary scores were computed for accordance to the DASH diet (0-10) and the Mediterranean diet (MedDietScore) (0-55). For both, higher scores reflect greater accordance. Both patterns share at least 3 common food components. Cognitive function was assessed annually with 19 cognitive tests from which global cognitive scores and summary measures are computed.

RESULTS:

The mean global cognitive score at baseline was 0.12 (range, -3.23 to 1.60) with an overall mean annual change in score of -0.08 standardized units. Only 13 participants had possible dementia. The mean DASH score was 4.1 (range, 1.0-8.5) and the MedDietScore was 31.3 (range, 18-46). In mixed models adjusted for covariates, a 1-unit difference in DASH score was associated with a slower rate of global cognitive decline by 0.007 standardized units (standard error of estimate = 0.003, p = 0.03). Similarly, a 1-unit-higher MedDietScore was associated with a slower rate of global cognitive decline by 0.002 standardized units (standard error of estimate = 0.001, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

These findings support the hypothesis that both the DASH and Mediterranean diet patterns are associated with slower rates of cognitive decline in the same cohort of older persons.

• Authors: Christy C Tangney, Hong Li, Yamin Wang, Lisa Barnes, Julie A Schneider, David A Bennett, Martha C Morris
• Journal: Neurology (Neurology) Vol. 83 Issue 16 Pg. 1410-6 (Oct 14 2014) ISSN: 1526-632X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 25230996 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural)
• Copyright: © 2014 American Academy of Neurology.

Topics

• Aged, 80 and over
• Aging (psychology)
• Chicago (epidemiology)
• Cognition
• Cognition Disorders (epidemiology)
• Dementia (epidemiology)
• Diet
• Diet, Mediterranean
• Disease Progression
• Feeding Behavior
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Prospective Studies
• Psychological Tests
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Time Factors