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Associations between diet quality and global cognitive ability across the life course: Longitudinal analysis of the 1946 British Birth Cohort
Diet serves as a significant risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia in later life. This research investigates the long-term interrelationship between diet quality and cognitive function using data from the 1946 British Birth Cohort (n = 3,059, 50.2% male). Through group-based trajectory modeling, the study identifies distinct diet and cognitive trajectories from childhood to later adulthood, along with their associations. The Healthy Eating Index-2020 scores were calculated based on food recalls at various ages (4, 36, 43, 53, and 60-64), while cognitive ability was assessed through percentile ranks from intellectual tests conducted at ages 8, 11, 15, 43, 53, 60-64, and 68-69. Additionally, the Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination-III scores were utilized to indicate potential dementia at age 68-69.
Three diet quality trajectories and four cognitive ability trajectories were established. Notable predictors for trajectory group membership included sex, birth region, childhood social class, and leisure activities. A joint trajectory model revealed that the lowest cognitive ability group predominantly consisted of participants with lower (58%) or moderate (35%) diet quality, while the highest cognitive ability group was primarily composed of those with moderate (57%) and higher (36%) diet quality. The incidence of likely dementia at age 68-69 was found to be 3.8% to 7.4% higher in the lower diet quality group compared to the moderate and higher diet quality groups.
These findings underscore the significant correlation between diet quality and cognitive ability throughout the life course, highlighting an increased likelihood of dementia in individuals maintaining lower diet quality from childhood to later adulthood. The results suggest that consistent adherence to dietary guidelines may positively influence cognitive outcomes over time; however, further longitudinal research is necessary to substantiate these conclusions. [NPID: Dementia, cognitive decline, diet, cognitive ability]
Year: 2025
