Summary
This UK Biobank observational study examined associations between four healthy dietary patterns and neuropsychiatric disorder risk in a large prospective cohort. The Alternate Mediterranean Diet demonstrated the strongest protective effect against all-cause dementia (HR 0.92), whilst both AMED and AHEI-2010 showed inverse associations with depression and anxiety disorders. Structural equation modelling suggested that dietary benefits operate partly through direct anti-inflammatory effects and partly through improved metabolic function, which secondarily reduces inflammation, supporting a diet-immune-brain axis mechanism.
Regional applicability
This study was conducted using UK Biobank data and is directly applicable to United Kingdom population and clinical practice. The findings provide evidence-based dietary recommendations specifically relevant to UK public health guidance on neuropsychiatric disease prevention.
Key measures
Hazard ratios (95% CI) for dementia, depression, and phobic anxiety disorders; anxiety disorder risk by dietary pattern; indirect pathway effects via inflammation and metabolic function markers
Outcomes reported
The study assessed associations between four healthy dietary patterns (AMED, AHEI-2010, and others) and risks of dementia, depression, and anxiety using Cox regression. Structural equation modelling was used to explore whether inflammatory and metabolic mechanisms mediate these associations.
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