Adjustment of the MIND diet tool for discriminating Greek patients with dementia: A confirmatory factor analysis

The MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, has been linked to reduced cognitive decline and dementia risk. This cross-sectional study explored the impact of the MIND diet on cognitive decline among elderly individuals in Greece. It used confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to assess the diet’s effectiveness in differentiating between Greek elderly people with and without dementia. The study included 115 participants recently diagnosed with dementia and 52 cognitively healthy controls, all evaluated by neurologists. An additional reference group of 36 self-reported healthy individuals was included to ensure sufficient data variation. Data on demographics, body measurements, emotional status, cognitive function, and dementia diagnosis were collected. A prediction model examined the components of the MIND diet to determine their effectiveness in distinguishing participants’ cognitive health. CFA was used to evaluate the fit of the MIND diet scale to the sample data. The CFA suggested that a revised 9-component MIND diet score was a better fit for the sample data than the original 15-item score. The components of the MIND diet should be tailored to the dietary habits and cultural context of the population being studied. Future research should prospectively investigate the MIND-9’s role in preventing dementia in Greek adults.

Year: 2022

Reference: Vassilopoulou, E., Koumbi, L., Karastogiannidou, C., Sotiriadis, P. M., Felicia, P. C., & Tsolaki, M. (2022). Adjustment of the MIND diet tool for discriminating Greek patients with dementia: A confirmatory factor analysis. Frontiers in neurology, 13, 811314. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.811314