Dietary diversity decreases the risk of cognitive decline among Japanese older adults.

Geriatr Gerontol Int. 2016 Jul 5. doi: 10.1111/ggi.12817. [Epub ahead of print]

Otsuka R1, Nishita Y1, Tange C1, Tomida M1,2, Kato Y1,3, Nakamoto M1,4, Imai T1,5, Ando F1,3, Shimokata H1,6.

Author information

• ¹Section of National Institute for Longevity Sciences-Longitudinal Study of Aging (NILS-LSA), National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Aichi, Japan.
• ²Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
• ³Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Aichi Shukutoku University, Aichi, Japan.
• ⁴Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan.
• ⁵Faculty of Human Life and Science, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts, Kyoto, Japan.
• ⁶Graduate School of Nutritional Sciences, Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences, Aichi, Japan.

Abstract

AIM:

To clarify the effectiveness of dietary diversity, calculated by dietary records, on cognitive decline.

METHODS:

Data were derived from the National Institute for Longevity Sciences - Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants comprised 298 men and 272 women aged 60-81 years at baseline (second wave) who participated in the follow-up study (third to seventh wave) at least once. Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination in all study waves. Dietary diversity was determined using the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity based on a 3-day dietary record in the second wave. Cumulative data among participants with a Mini-Mental State Examination score >27 in the second wave were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for Mini-Mental State Examination scores ≤27 in each study wave according to a 1 standard deviation (increase), or quartiles of the Quantitative Index for Dietary Diversity at baseline, were adjusted for sex, age, follow-up time, baseline Mini-Mental State Examination score, education, body mass index, annual household income, current smoking status, energy intake and disease history.

RESULTS:

Multivariate adjusted odds ratio for a decline in Mini-Mental State Examination score was 0.79 (95% CI 0.70-0.89; P < 0.001) with a 1 SD increase in dietary diversity score, or 1.00 (reference), 0.99 (95% CI 0.70-1.43), 0.68 (95% CI 0.46-0.99) and 0.56 (95% CI 0.38-0.83) according to the lowest through highest quartiles of dietary diversity score, respectively (trend P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Daily intake of various kinds of food might be a protective factor against cognitive decline in community-dwelling Japanese older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; ••: ••-••.

© 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.