Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Sep 2;20(17):6705.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20176705.

Development of a Culturally Adapted Dietary Intervention to Reduce Alzheimer's Disease Risk among Older Black Adults

Ashley R Shaw  1 , Mickeal N Key  1 , Samantha Fikru  1 , Saria Lofton  2 , Debra K Sullivan  3 , Jannette Berkley-Patton  4 , Crystal M Glover  5   6   7 , Jeffrey M Burns  1 , Eric D Vidoni  1
Affiliations

Development of a Culturally Adapted Dietary Intervention to Reduce Alzheimer's Disease Risk among Older Black Adults

Ashley R Shaw et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

The objective of this study is to identify and understand knowledge and attitudes that influence dietary practices among older Black adults using a community-engaged approach. This is a non-interventional mixed methods study designed to inform the development of an adapted brain-healthy soul food diet intervention. A purposive sampling approach was used to conduct seven semi-structured focus group discussions and an online quantitative survey. In total, 39 participants who self-identified as Black, aged 55 years and older, English speaking, and who were cognitively normal with an AD8 < 2; (25.6% men; 74.4% women) participated in the online survey and one of the seven 60 min virtual focus group discussions (5-7 per focus group). Quantitative frequency data from the online surveys were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative focus group data were analyzed using a 6-step thematic analysis process. Five themes emerged: dementia awareness; practices shaping food choices and consumption; barriers to eating healthy; instrumental support; and elements of a culturally adapted brain-healthy dietary intervention. Older Black adults perceived an adapted MIND dietary model as the most acceptable with the incorporation of salient cultural characteristics and strategies within both the design and delivery phases.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; black adults; community engagement; diet intervention; lifestyle interventions; older adults; qualitative research.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

References

    1. Alzheimer’s Association Report 2023 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer’s Dement. 2023;19:1598–1695. doi: 10.1002/alz.13016. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Morris M.C., Tangney C.C., Wang Y., Sacks F.M., Barnes L.L., Bennett D.A., Aggarwal N.T. MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging. Alzheimer’s Dement. 2015;11:1015–1022. doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2015.04.011. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Scarmeas N., Stern Y., Tang M.X., Mayeux R., Luchsinger J.A. Mediterranean diet and risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Ann. Neurol. 2006;59:912–921. doi: 10.1002/ana.20854. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Blumenthal J.A., Smith P.J., Mabe S., Hinderliter A., Welsh-Bohmer K., Browndyke J.N., Doraiswamy P.M., Lin P.H., Kraus W.E., Burke J.R., et al. Longer Term Effects of Diet and Exercise on Neurocognition: 1-Year Follow-up of the ENLIGHTEN Trial. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2020;68:559–568. doi: 10.1111/jgs.16252. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Blennow K., de Leon M.J., Zetterberg H. Alzheimer’s disease. Lancet. 2006;368:387–403. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69113-7. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types