Navigation
Beneficial effects of nut consumption on cognitive function among elderly: Findings from a 6-year cohort study
In this study, Li et al. (2022) assessed the long-term relationship between nut intake and cognitive performance in elderly Chinese participants. Data from nine thousand twenty-eight individuals from the Zhejiang Ageing and Health Cohort Study was examined. Starting in 2014, the baseline questionnaire assessed the amount of nuts consumed, while the cognitive function was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in three instances: once at baseline and once in each of the three follow-up waves (2015, 2016, and 2019–2020). The authors used cut-off points based on education to determine cognitive impairment. Initial analysis showed that 3,266 (36.18%) individuals had at least one MMSE result indicating cognitive impairment after six years of follow-up. Participants who consumed ≥70 g/week of nuts demonstrated a 17% reduction in the odds of cognitive impairment compared to non-consumers or less-than-weekly consumers; no connection was seen in those who consumed <70 g/week of nuts. Furthermore, a greater amount of nuts consumed relatively infrequently (≥70 g in a single consuming day each week) did not correlate with improved cognitive function. Additionally, the authors could not find evidence of a major alteration in impact brought on by the frequency of other meal intake. The authors conclude that, in Chinese seniors, nut intake was prospectively associated with a decreased incidence of cognitive impairment. [NPID: Cognitive impairment, nut consumption, cohort study, elderly, China]
Year: 2022
