Nevertheless, the findings offer food for thought. With the number of people affected by dementia on the rise, simple dietary changes could be a practical way to support brain health as we age.

This study explored the effects of adhering to a MIND diet on cognitive health by analyzing data from the REGARDS study. The participants included 14,145 people with an average age of 64 and 56.7% being women. Dietary data were collected through the Food Frequency Questionnaire, which asked participants about their food habits over the past year. Based on these responses, researchers calculated a MIND diet score for each participant. The higher the score, the better the participant's adherence to the MIND diet, which emphasizes healthy foods like vegetables, berries, fish, and olive oil while limiting red meat and sweets.

To measure cognitive changes, participants took memory and thinking tests, which were repeated several times over the study's follow-up period (approximately 10 years). Statistical methods, such as logistic regression, were used to determine whether there was a link between MIND diet adherence and cognitive impairment, adjusting for factors like age, sex, race, and lifestyle factors (e.g., smoking, obesity).

The study found that people who followed the MIND diet more closely had a lower risk of developing cognitive impairment. Women, in particular, showed a greater protective benefit from adhering to the MIND diet compared to men. For women, following the MIND diet reduced their risk of cognitive decline significantly. However, for men, no such significant effect was observed. Another interesting result was that the MIND diet had a stronger protective effect on Black participants compared to White participants. Overall, the study suggests that eating a diet rich in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding unhealthy choices can help maintain brain health as people age.

First, the study participants reported their dietary habits through a questionnaire, which might not be 100% accurate due to memory recall issues. Also, the study mainly included Black and White participants, so the findings may not apply to other racial or ethnic groups.

Another limitation was that the study focused on older adults, and younger people were not included, which limits understanding of how diet might affect cognition earlier in life. Additionally, while the study showed associations between diet and brain health, it cannot definitively prove that following a MIND diet directly causes improved cognitive outcomes, as other unmeasured factors may also play a role.

The main takeaway from this study is that sticking to a MIND-style diet can help protect against cognitive decline, especially for women and Black participants. This dietary pattern emphasizes brain-healthy foods like leafy greens, berries, and fish and suggests reducing red meat, butter, and sweets. While the benefits of the diet were most noticeable in women, men did not see the same protective effects.

However, both Black and White participants experienced cognitive benefits, though they were more pronounced for Black participants. This highlights the potential for personalized dietary recommendations based on demographic factors. Importantly, the study encourages adopting healthier eating patterns early to support cognitive health as we age.

This study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under cooperative agreement U01 NS041588. The authors disclosed no conflicts of interest related to this research.