Prudent diet may attenuate the adverse effects of Western diet on cognitive decline.
BACKGROUND
The influence of mixed dietary patterns on cognitive changes is unknown.


METHODS
A total of 2223 dementia-free participants aged ≥60 were followed up for 6 years to examine the impact of dietary patterns on cognitive decline. Mini-mental state examination (MMSE) was administered. Diet was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. By factor analysis, Western and prudent dietary patterns emerged. Mixed-effect models for longitudinal data with repeated measurements were used.


RESULTS
Compared with the lowest adherence to each pattern, the highest adherence to prudent pattern was related to less MMSE decline (β = 0.106, P = .011), whereas the highest adherence to Western pattern was associated with more MMSE decline (β = -0.156, P < .001). The decline associated with Western diet was attenuated when accompanied by high adherence to prudent pattern.


CONCLUSIONS
High adherence to prudent diet may diminish the adverse effects of high adherence to Western diet on cognitive decline.
Aging Research Center, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: behnaz.shakersain@ki.se.
Behnaz
B
Shakersain
Aging Research Center, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Giola
G
Santoni
Unit of Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Susanna C
SC
Larsson
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden.
Gerd
G
Faxén-Irving
Aging Research Center, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Johan
J
Fastbom
Aging Research Center, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Gerontology Research Center, Stockholm, Sweden.
Laura
L
Fratiglioni
Aging Research Center, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: weili.xu@ki.se.
Weili
W
Xu
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000517:prevention & control*; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D066273:Diet, Western / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Cognitive decline; Dietary patterns; Longitudinal study; Population-based