Summary
This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between habitual diet quality, specific nutrient intake, and cognitive performance in 72 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older in the United States. Using the CERAD neuropsychological battery, the study assessed multiple cognitive domains and investigated whether dietary patterns and individual nutrient intakes were associated with performance. The study contributes to the growing body of evidence linking nutritional factors to cognitive ageing, though the cross-sectional design and modest sample size limit causal inference.
UK applicability
Although conducted in the United States, the findings are broadly relevant to UK public health and ageing policy given comparable demographic pressures around cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. UK dietary guidelines and NHS strategies on healthy ageing may draw on such evidence, though dietary patterns and nutrient intake distributions may differ between US and UK populations.
Key measures
CERAD battery subtest scores (Word List Memory, Recall, Recognition, Constructional Praxis, Verbal Fluency); diet quality indices; nutrient intake levels from dietary assessment
Outcomes reported
The study measured associations between habitual diet quality, specific nutrient intake, and cognitive performance across domains including episodic memory, visuospatial skills, and executive function in adults aged 65 and older. Cognitive performance was assessed using the CERAD battery and dietary intake was characterised through standard dietary assessment methods.
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