Diet and risk of dementia: Does fat matter?: The Rotterdam Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether high intake of total fat, saturated fatty acids (saturated fat), trans fatty acids (trans fat), and cholesterol and low intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n-6 PUFA, and n-3 PUFA are associated with increased risk of dementia and its subtypes.


METHODS
Data from the Rotterdam Study, a prospective cohort study among elderly, were used. At baseline (1990 to 1993), 5,395 subjects had normal cognition, were noninstitutionalized, and underwent complete dietary assessment by a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. The cohort was continuously monitored for incident dementia, and re-examinations were performed in 1993 to 1994 and 1997 to 1999. The association between fat intake and incident dementia was examined by Cox's proportional hazards models.


RESULTS
After a mean follow-up of 6.0 years, 197 subjects developed dementia (146 AD, 29 vascular dementia). High intake of total, saturated, trans fat, and cholesterol and low intake of MUFA, PUFA, n-6 PUFA, and n-3 PUFA were not associated with increased risk of dementia or its subtypes. Rate ratios of dementia per standard deviation increase in intake were for total fat 0.93 (95% CI 0.81 to 1.07), for saturated fat 0.91 (95% CI 0.79 to 1.05), for trans fat 0.90 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.06), for cholesterol 0.93 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.08), for MUFA 0.96 (95% CI 0.84 to 1.10), for PUFA 1.05 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.38), for n-6 PUFA 1.03 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.36), and for n-3 PUFA 1.07 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.22).


CONCLUSIONS
High intake of total, saturated, and trans fat and cholesterol and low intake of MUFA, PUFA, n-6 PUFA, and n-3 PUFA were not associated with increased risk of dementia or its subtypes.
Engelhart
M J
MJ
Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Geerlings
M I
MI
Ruitenberg
A
A
Van Swieten
J C
JC
Hofman
A
A
Witteman
J C M
JC
Breteler
M M B
MM
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary / Q000009:adverse effects; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004493:Education; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000009:adverse effects; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012737:Sex Factors; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000975:Antioxidants; D002791:Cholesterol, Dietary; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D014810:Vitamin E