MIND diet and the risk of dementia: a population-based study.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to investigate the association between adherence to the MIND diet and the risk of dementia, addressing potential reverse causality and residual confounding by lifestyle factors.
Results Summary
Higher MIND diet scores were associated with a lower risk of dementia in the short term (7 years), but associations weakened over longer follow-up periods. The association was stronger in more contemporary dietary data compared to historical data.
Population
5375 participants from the Rotterdam Study (1989-1993) and 2861 participants from a later cohort (2009-2013).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Mean follow-up of 15.6 years (baseline I) and 5.9 years (baseline II).
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
higher MIND diet score at baseline I | decrease | dementia | participants in the Rotterdam Study | hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] per standard deviation (SD) increase, 0.85 [0.74, 0.98] | associated with a lower risk | #1 |
higher MIND diet score at baseline II | decrease | dementia | participants in the Rotterdam Study | HR [95% CI] for 7 years follow-up per SD increase, 0.76 [0.66, 0.87] | associated with a lower risk | #2 |
Better adherence to the MIND diet | decrease | dementia | - | - | associated with a decreased risk | #3 |
BACKGROUND: Adherence to the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has been linked to a decreased risk of dementia, but reverse causality and residual confounding by lifestyle may partly account for this link. We aimed to address these issues by studying the associations over cumulative time periods, which may provide insight into possible reverse causality, and by using both historical and more contemporary dietary data as this could give insight into confounding since historical data may be less affected by lifestyle factors. METHODS: In the population-based Rotterdam Study, dietary intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires in 5375 participants between 1989 and 1993 (baseline I) and in a largely non-overlapping sample in 2861 participants between 2009 and 2013 (baseline II). We calculated the MIND diet score and studied its association with the risk of all-cause dementia, using Cox models. Incident all-cause dementia was recorded until 2018. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 15.6 years from baseline I, 1188 participants developed dementia. A higher MIND diet score at baseline I was associated with a lower risk of dementia over the first 7 years of follow-up (hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] per standard deviation (SD) increase, 0.85 [0.74, 0.98]), but associations disappeared over longer follow-up intervals. The mean follow-up from baseline II was 5.9 years during which 248 participants developed dementia. A higher MIND diet score at baseline II was associated with a lower risk of dementia over every follow-up interval, but associations slightly attenuated over time (HR [95% CI] for 7 years follow-up per SD increase, 0.76 [0.66, 0.87]). The MIND diet score at baseline II was more strongly associated with the risk of dementia than the MIND diet score at baseline I. CONCLUSION: Better adherence to the MIND diet is associated with a decreased risk of dementia within the first years of follow-up, but this may in part be explained by reverse causality and residual confounding by lifestyle. Further research is needed to unravel to which extent the MIND diet may affect the risk of dementia.