Abstract
There is a lack of evidence to determine if diet quality is associated with cognitive performance in older adults. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether diet quality is associated with cognitive performance among older adults. A cross-sectional, secondary analysis of baseline data from the Hunter Community Study (HCS), comparing diet quality, measured using the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS), along with validated cognitive performance instruments the Audio Recorded Cognitive Screen (ARCS) and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were undertaken in adults aged 55–85 years, living in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Adjusted linear regression analyses showed that, compared with the lowest ARFS quintile, those in the highest quintile had an ARCS score 5.883 units greater (p < 0.001; R2 = 0.0098). Furthermore, when quintiles of ARFS score were tested against each ARCS sub-scale score, statistically significant associations were observed with the greatest effect for the Memory (β = 4.055; p = 0.001; R2 = 0.0065) and Attention (β = 4.136; p = 0.002; R2 = 0.0047) domains. No statistically significant associations were observed between quintiles of ARFS and MMSE score in the adjusted linear regression analyses. In conclusion, a positive association was observed between diet quality and cognitive performance within this sample of older Australian adults. Further investigation of the above association over time, when follow-up data becomes available, in longitudinal analysis is recommended.
Highlights
IntroductionThe rapid increase in the prevalence of cognitive impairment in the population including those with dementia is of global concern
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The rapid increase in the prevalence of cognitive impairment in the population including those with dementia is of global concern
Due to missing covariate data, there were 1795 and 1797 participants that remained in the adjusted analyses for Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
Summary
The rapid increase in the prevalence of cognitive impairment in the population including those with dementia is of global concern. Several large population-based studies have demonstrated that significant cognitive decline begins at around age 55 years [1,2]. According to a recent report, the estimated worldwide prevalence of dementia in the population over 60 years of age was 50 million people in 2018 [3]. 1.5 times by 2030, and to triple by 2050 [3]. The estimated total societal cost of dementia with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil-
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