Prospective Study of Diet Quality and the Risk of Dementia in the Oldest Old

Abstract

This study examined the associations between overall diet quality and the risk of dementia in a rural cohort among the oldest old. Included in this prospective cohort study were 2232 participants aged ≥ 80 years and dementia-free at the baseline according to the Geisinger Rural Aging Study (GRAS), a longitudinal cohort in rural Pennsylvania. In 2009, diet quality was assessed by a validated dietary screening tool (DST). Incident cases of dementia during 2009–2021 were identified using diagnosis codes. This approach was validated by a review of electronic health records. Associations between diet quality scores and the incidence of dementia were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders. Across a mean of 6.90 years of follow-up, we identified 408 incident cases of all-cause dementia. Having a higher diet quality was not significantly associated with a lower risk for incidents of all-cause dementia (adjusted HR for the highest compared with the lowest tertile: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.29, P-trend = 0.95). Similarly, we did not observe a significant association between diet quality and altered risks of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Overall, having a higher diet quality was not significantly associated with a lower risk of dementia among the oldest old during the full follow-up.

Prevalence and modifiable risk factors of cognitive frailty in patients with chronic heart failure in China: a cross-sectional study

“…Malnutrition can lead to weight loss, muscle tissue loss, body wasting, and other physical frailties, ultimately contributing to the development of CF. Furthermore, the lack of essential nutrients such as serum proteins, vitamins, and trace elements can affect cognitive function, which is also a crucial factor in the development and progression of physical frailty and cognitive impairment [ 35 ]. Zupo et al found that malnourished elderly people with CF had a higher mortality rate [ 36 ], highlighting the urgent need to improve the nutrition status of patients with CF.…”

Impact of Nutritional Interventions on Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…A diet high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) modifies the fibrillar/prefibrillar A oligomer ratio to reduce the density of hippocampal A plaques (the former is less toxic), thereby producing mild behavioral improvements in a transgenic rodent model of AD [61][62][63][64]. The fluidity of membranes and the activity of enzymes in neurons may be impacted by dietary intake of omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), which may then modify the architecture and functions of the brain [65,66].…”

Assessing Risk Factors for Cognitive Decline Using Electronic Health Records: A Scoping Review

“…29 However, diet alone was not found to be protective against ADRD. 22,87 Socioeconomic factors: Higher education is believed to have neuroprotective effects, and such effects were observed in two out of three studies analyzing the association between education and ADRD risk. 88,89 However, the third study found no significant correlation.…”