Dietary intake adequacy and cognitive function in free-living active elderly: a cross-sectional and short-term prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Adequate dietary intake might prevent cognitive decline among ageing subjects; hence, the relationships between dietary intake and cognitive function in a sample of non-institutionalized active elderly were assessed.


METHODS
Total 187 subjects aged over 65. Dietary intake was assessed using a three-day record and cognitive function using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE). After 8.5+/-3.5 months of follow-up, cognitive function was re-assessed in 110 subjects.


RESULTS
A considerable portion of the subjects presented a low intake of several key nutrients. At baseline, no differences were found between subjects with normal or low MMSE score regarding all dietary parameters. At follow-up, 63 subjects (57%) showed a mild improvement of their MMSE score; their consumption of calcium and of n-3 fatty acids was higher (p<0.01 and p<0.03, respectively) than subjects without improvement. Similarly, multivariate logistic regression showed subjects whose consumption of calcium was above the dietary reference intake had a significantly higher odds ratio (OR) of improving their MMSE (OR=5.41; 95% CI: 1.44-20.29), whereas no effect was found for n-3 fatty acids (OR=2.48; 95% CI: 0.46-13.36).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased calcium consumption is related to improved cognitive function; the exact effect of n-3 fatty acids intake remains to be assessed.
Velho
Sónia
S
Instituto Português de Oncologia, Lisboa, Portugal.
Marques-Vidal
Pedro
P
Baptista
Fátima
F
Camilo
Maria Ermelinda
ME
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards*; D015930:Diet Records; D004034:Diet Surveys; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics
D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3