Background
Diet, as a modifiable factor, plays an important role in cognitive function. However, the association between adherence to the 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), measured by Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015, and cognitive function remains unclear. This study aims to explore whether HEI-2015 is associated with various cognitive domains and whether such association is modified by age, gender, or ethnicity in the US adults aged 60 years or older using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2014.
Methods
HEI-2015 scores were calculated from 24-h dietary recall interviews. Cognitive function was evaluated by Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST, a measure of processing speed), Animal Fluency Test (AFT, a measure of executive function), a subtest from Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s disease (CERAD, a measure of memory), and a composite-z score calculated by summing z scores of individual tests. The associations between HEI-2015 scores and cognitive performance were explored using multiple linear regression models.
Results
A total of 2450 participants aged 60 years or older were included. Participants with higher HEI-2015 scores were more likely to have higher DSST, AFT as well as composite-z scores (P<0.05). Significant interaction effects were identified between HEI-2015 and ethnicity in specific cognitive domains (Pinteraction<0.05). Among HEI-2015 components, higher intakes of whole fruits and seafood and plant protein were associated with better cognitive performance (P<0.05).
Conclusion
Higher adherence to DGA is associated with better cognitive performance, especially regarding processing speed and executive function among the US adults aged 60 years or older.
BackgroundDiet quality plays an important role in the development of age-related chronic diseases. However, the association between dietary quality assessed by Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 and cognitive function among the United States (US) elderly adults remains unclear. The present study aims to explore the association between HEI-2015 and cognitive function in elderly adults using data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2012. MethodsHEI-2015 scores were calculated from two days 24-hour recall interviews. The cognitive function was evaluated by Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST), Animal Fluency Test (AFT) and a global cognition level derived by summing the z scores of individual tests. The associations between HEI-2015 and cognitive function were explored using multiple linear regression and binary logistic regression models. ResultsA total of 1278 participants aged 60 years or older were included. Compared to the lowest HEI-2015 tertile, the elderly adults in highest tertile had a higher global cognition, DSST and AFT scores (P<0.05); with the lowest quartile of global cognition as cognitive impairment, those who were in the highest HEI-2015 tertile had 38% lower odds of cognitive impairment (OR: 0.62; 95%CI: 0.42-0.91). Among HEI-2015 components, the elderly adults adhering to recommended intake of whole grains and whole fruits components were more likely to have better performance on global cognition (P<0.05). ConclusionThe higher HEI-2015 was positively associated the better cognitive performance on the global cognition, DSST, and AFT in the US elderly adults.
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