MIND Diet and Cognitive Function in Puerto Rican Older Adults

Abstract

Abstract Background Healthy diets have been associated with better cognitive function. Socioeconomic factors including education, poverty, and job complexity may modify the relationship between diet and cognition. Methods We used adjusted linear mixed models to examine the association between long-term adherence to the Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension - Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet and cognitive function over 8 years of follow-up in Puerto Rican adults residing in the Boston, MA area (aged 45–75 years at baseline). We also examined whether the MIND diet—cognition association was confounded or modified by socioeconomic measures. Results In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses the highest, versus lowest, MIND quintile was associated with better cognition function (β = 0.093; 95% CI: 0.035, 0.152; p trend = .0019), but not with cognitive trajectory over 8 years. Education <=8th grade (β = −0.339; 95% CI: 0.394, −0.286; p < .0001) and income-to-poverty ratio <120% (β = −0.049; 95% CI: −0.092, −0.007; p = .024) were significantly associated with lower cognitive function, while higher job complexity (β = 0.008; 95% CI: 0.006, 0.011; p < .0001) was associated with better cognition function. These variables acted as confounders, but not effect modifiers of the MIND-diet—cognitive function relationship. Conclusion Adherence to the MIND diet was associated with better cognitive function at baseline and over 8 years of follow-up; however, MIND diet was not associated with 8-year cognitive trajectory. More studies are needed to better understand whether the MIND diet is protective against long-term cognitive decline.