DASH Diet Adherence and Cognitive Function: Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Overview

Journal Clin Nutr ESPEN

Specialties Endocrinology
Nutritional Sciences

Date 2021 Dec 3

PMID 34857201

Citations 11

Authors

George D Daniel

Haiying Chen

Alain G Bertoni

Stephen R Rapp

Annette L Fitzpatrick

Jose A Luchsinger

Alexis C Wood

Timothy M Hughes

Gregory L Burke

Kathleen M Hayden

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Aims: The Adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been associated with better cognitive function in studies of predominantly White participants; few studies have examined this association in diverse cohorts. Our objective was to examine the association between the DASH diet and cognitive function in the diverse Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort.

Methods: Among 4169 MESA participants, we evaluated prospectively, the association between DASH diet adherence and cognitive function. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire at baseline (2000-2002) and cognitive function was assessed using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI), Digit Symbol Coding (DSC), and Digit Span (DS) at Exam 5 in 2010-2012 and Exam 6 (2016-2019). Regression analyses were used to evaluate the association between quintiles of DASH diet adherence with CASI, DSC, and DS performance and decline, adjusting for potential confounders. Effect modification by hypertension, diabetes, race/ethnicity, acculturation, and exercise were evaluated.

Results: DASH diet adherence was not associated with cognitive performance or decline for any of the measures. There were no differences by racial/ethnic groups, with the exception that Hispanic participants reporting greater DASH diet adherence, performed worse on DS at Exam 5 (p = 0.05). Components of the DASH diet were differentially correlated with test performance: increased consumption of nuts/legumes was associated with better performance on the CASI at Exam 5 (p = 0.003) and Exam 6 (p = 0.007). Increased consumption of whole grains was associated with better DSC performance at Exam 5 (p = 0.04) and better DS performance at Exam 6 (p = 0.01).

Conclusions: DASH diet adherence was nominally associated with cognitive function with a suggestion of differences by race/ethnicity. Future work should examine more closely, the relationships between racial and ethnic groups and the impact of diet on cognitive function.

Citing Articles

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PMID: 40070912 PMC: 11894414. DOI: 10.1017/jns.2025.8.

Concordance Between DASH Diet and Coronary Artery Calcification: Results From the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) Prospective Cohort Study.

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Mid-life adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet and late-life subjective cognitive complaints in women.

Song Y, Wu F, Sharma S, Clendenen T, India-Aldana S, Afanasyeva Y Alzheimers Dement. 2023; 20(2):1076-1088.

PMID: 37861080 PMC: 10917042. DOI: 10.1002/alz.13468.

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