Dietary patterns and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease in an elderly Iranian population: a case–control study

Abstract

Background An increasing number of studies in Western countries have shown that healthy eating patterns have a protective effect against cognitive decline and dementia, however, information about this relationship among non-western populations with different cultural environments is scarce. The present study investigated the association between dietary patterns (DPs) and cognitive function in the Iranian elderly. Methods In this case–control study, the data of 290 elderly people in two groups of case and control (Mean age in case: 74.2 ± 8.6, in control: 67.3 ± 7.3 year) were analyzed. Two DPs of healthy and unhealthy were extracted from a 142-item dish-based food frequency questionnaire, and patterns driven by principal components analysis (PCA) of 25 food groups. Multivariate binary logistic regression calculated the odds ratio (OR) of cognitive impairment with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Results A healthy DP, characterized by high consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, and nuts, was related to a decrease in the odds of Alzheimer’s disease in Iranian elderly people. Also, moderate adherence to an unhealthy food pattern was associated with an increase in the probability of the disease; however, the association was not statistically significant. Conclusion In this elderly population, a healthy eating pattern was associated with reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Further prospective studies are recommended.

Association between Dietary Patterns and Cognitive Function among Qatari Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Qatar Biobank Study

“…In Chinese women, a higher score for a “vegetables-fruits” pattern high in vegetables, fruits, soy products and legumes was related to lower odds of cognitive impairment [ 21 ]. Similarly, a case-control study in Iran revealed that a healthy dietary pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts was associated with decreased odds of Alzheimer’s disease [ 22 ].…”