Mediterranean Diet and Cognitive Status in Free-Living Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Northern Italy.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (including wine consumption) and cognitive function in an elderly Italian urban population.
Results Summary
The study found that wine consumption was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment (OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.16-0.84; p = 0.018), suggesting a protective effect. No adverse effects or safety concerns related to wine were reported.
Population
Italian urban elderly aged ≥ 65 years (80 men, 199 women).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified (cross-sectional study)
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mediterranean diet (MD) pattern | decrease | cognitive impairment | Italian urban sample aged ≥ 65 years | odds ratio (OR) = 0.39; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.15-0.99; p = 0.045 | was associated with a lower risk of | #1 |
consumption of wine | decrease | cognitive impairment | Italian urban sample aged ≥ 65 years | odds ratio (OR) = 0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.16-0.84; p = 0.018 | was associated with a lower risk of | #2 |
consumption of nuts | decrease | cognitive impairment | Italian urban sample aged ≥ 65 years | odds ratio (OR) = 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.13-0.69, p = 0.005 | was associated with a lower risk of | #3 |
other food groups | no change | cognitive impairment | Italian urban sample aged ≥ 65 years | no significant change | No association was found with | #4 |
OBJECTIVE: Few data are available on the Italian elderly population with regard to adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) and cognitive impairment. Our aim was to investigate adherence to the MD and its association with cognitive function in an Italian urban sample. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 279 participants aged ≥ 65 years (80 men, 199 women) was carried out at a nutritional center. Adherence to the MD was evaluated using a 14-item questionnaire. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS: The clinical and nutritional assessments performed revealed 30.1% to have a dietary pattern in accordance with the MD; 13.6% had suspected or mild cognitive impairment (MMSE score ≤ 23). The MD pattern was associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.99; p = 0.045), as was the consumption of wine (OR = 0.37; 95% CI, 0.16-0.84; p = 0.018) and nuts (OR = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.13-0.69, p = 0.005). No association was found with other food groups. CONCLUSION: A closer adherence to the MD was associated with a better cognitive status. Further cohort studies and randomized controlled trials are warranted.