Examining the moderating role of a Mediterranean diet in the relationship between perceived stress and cognitive function in older adults

Abstract

<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Perceived stress and adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern have been identified as independent predictors of cognitive function in older adulthood; however, no studies to date have examined the interaction between perceived stress and diet adherence on cognitive health. This cross-sectional study investigated the synergistic effect of perceived stress and adherence to a Mediterranean diet pattern on cognitive function in 192 nondemented older adults aged 60–95 years.</p> <p><strong>Method: </strong>Participants completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Executive functioning was assessed using the Trail Making Test-Part B (TMT-B) and episodic memory was assessed using the immediate and delayed free recall subscales from the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II).</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>Moderation analyses revealed that higher perceived stress was associated with worse executive functioning at low levels of Mediterranean diet adherence (<em>B</em> = 1.75, <em>SE</em> = 0.67, <em>p</em> = .009), but not at moderate and high levels of Mediterranean diet adherence (<em>p</em>s > .05). Perceived stress was not associated with episodic memory, irrespective of Mediterranean diet adherence.</p> <p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Findings provide preliminary evidence that the association between higher perceived stress and poorer executive function may be dependent on diet intake. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings.</p>