title: Cognition and Indicators of Dietary Habits in Older Adults from Southern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association between unhealthy dietary habits and cognition in older adults from Southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the second wave of a population- and household-based epidemiological survey (2013-2014) conducted in the city of Florianópolis. A total of 1,197 older adults (778 women) over 60 years old participated in the study. Cognition, the dependent variable, was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The independent variables were the following indicators of unhealthy dietary habits: low intake of fruits and vegetables (≤ 4 servings/day); fish (< 1 serving/week); and habitual fatty meat intake (yes/no). Adjustments were made for age, education level, income, smoking status, alcohol intake, leisure-time physical activity, depression symptoms, chronic diseases, and body mass index. Simple and multiple linear regression analyses were performed, considering sampling weights and stratification by gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean MMSE scores for men and women were 25.15 ± 5.56 and 24.26 ± 5.68, respectively (p = 0.009). After adjustments, in women low fruit and vegetable intake (≤ 4 servings/day) was independently associated with the lowest MMSE scores. No associations were found in men. Additionally, women's mean MMSE scores increased as their daily frequency of fruit and vegetable intake increased (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with low fruit and vegetable intake according to the World Health Organization (WHO) have lower cognition scores. Regular intake of fruits, vegetables, and fish in exchange of fatty meats may be a viable public policy strategy to preserve cognition in aging.
authors.affiliation: Doutoranda, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós Graduação em Nutrição, Florianópolis, Brasil.
authors.forename: Vivian Francielle
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: França
authors.affiliation: Doutora, Departamento de Nutrição, Centro de Desportos, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós Graduação em Nutrição, Florianópolis, Brasil.
authors.forename: Aline Rodrigues
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.affiliation: Doutora, Departamento de Saúde Pública, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Programa de Pós Graduação em Saúde Coletiva, Florianópolis, Brasil.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: D'Orsi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D003071:Cognition; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors