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. 2023 Aug;118(2):360-368.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.05.032. Epub 2023 Jun 1.

Higher versus lower nut consumption and changes in cognitive performance over two years in a population at risk of cognitive decline: a cohort study

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Higher versus lower nut consumption and changes in cognitive performance over two years in a population at risk of cognitive decline: a cohort study

Jiaqi Ni et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Tree nuts and peanuts (henceforth, nuts) are nutrient-dense foods rich in neuroprotective components; thus, their consumption could benefit cognitive health. However, evidence to date is limited and inconsistent regarding the potential benefits of nuts for cognitive function.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the association between nut consumption and 2-y changes in cognitive performance in older adults at cognitive decline risk.

Methods: A total of 6,630 participants aged 55 to 75 y (mean age 65.0±4.9 y, 48.4% women) with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome completed a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests at baseline and a 2-y follow-up. Composite cognitive scores were used to assess global, general, attention, and executive function domains. Nut consumption was categorized as <1, ≥1 to <3, ≥3 to <7, and ≥7 servings/wk (1 serving=30 g). Multivariable-adjusted linear regression models were fitted to assess associations between baseline nut consumption and 2-y cognitive changes.

Results: Nut consumption was positively associated with 2-y changes in general cognitive function (P-trend <0.001). Compared with participants consuming <1 serving/wk of nuts, those categorized as consuming ≥3 to <7 and ≥7 servings/wk showed more favorable changes in general cognitive performance (β z-score [95% CI] = 0.06 [0.00,0.12] and 0.13 [0.06,0.20], respectively). No significant changes were observed in the multivariable-adjusted models for other cognitive domains assessed.

Conclusion: Frequent nut consumption was associated with a smaller decline in general cognitive performance over 2 y in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. Randomized clinical trials to verify our findings are warranted.

Keywords: aging; cognition; cognitive decline; nuts; older people; unsaturated fatty acids.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Beta coefficients and 95% CI of 2-y changes in cognitive performance (i.e. global cognitive function (A), general cognitive function (B), executive function (C), attention (D), MMSE score (E), CDT score (F), VFT-a score (G), VFT-p score (H), TMT-A score (I), TMT-B score (J), DST-f score (K), DST-b score (L)) according to categories of baseline nut consumption. The blue circles and red boxes represent the point estimates of the beta coefficients, and the blue and red lines indicate the CIs of the basic and multivariable-adjusted models, respectively. Basic models were adjusted for respective cognitive test scores at baseline, age (years), and sex. Multivariable-adjusted models were further adjusted for intervention PREDIMED-Plus randomized groups, and participating center (≤200, 200 to 300, 300 to 400, >400 participants), educational level (primary, secondary, or college), civil status (single, divorced or separated, married, widower), BMI (kg/m2), physical activity (METs/min/day), smoking status (current, former, or never), alcohol consumption in g/day (and adding the quadratic term), energy intake (kcal/day), depressive symptomatology (yes/no), diabetes prevalence (yes/no), hypertension prevalence (yes/no), and hypercholesterolemia prevalence (yes/no), and dietary factors (consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals, oils and fats, biscuits, dairy, meat, fish [g/day], coffee and tea [mL/day]). ∗ indicates P-trend across 4 groups <0.05. Global cognitive function = (ZMMSE + ZCDT + ZVFT-a + ZVFT-p + (–ZTMT-A) + (–ZTMT-B) + ZDST-f + ZDST-b) / 8; General cognitive function = (ZMMSE + ZCDT) / 2; Executive function = (ZVFT-a + ZVFT-p + (–ZTMT-B) + ZDST-b) / 4; Attention = ((–ZTMT-A) + ZDST-f) / 2. CDT, Clock Drawing Test; DST-b, Digit Span test - backward; DST-f, Digit Span test - forward; s/wk, serving(s) per week (1 serving=30 g); TMT-A, Trail Making Test Part A; TMT-B, Trail Making Test Part B; VFT-a, Verbal Fluency tasks semantical; VFT-p, Verbal Fluency tasks phonological.

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