Navigation
Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study
Hanslian et al. (2025) investigated the effects of a structured nutritional counseling program for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), delivered as synchronized online classes every two weeks for six months. This study presents a secondary analysis of the BrainFit-Nutrition trial, which originally tested the impacts of two dietary counseling approaches—a Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet and a diet based on the German Nutrition Association (DGE) guidelines—and two forms of cognitive training in a 2×2 factorial randomized controlled design. While the original study focused on cognitive outcomes, this analysis examined dietary habits and their evolution over time. Dietary behavior in 261 older adults (ages 60–86) was assessed using food frequency questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention (6 months), and follow-up (12 months). While most participants continued to eat an omnivorous diet, some in the WFPB group shifted toward vegetarian or vegan diets. Both groups showed reduced intake of meat, fish, and eggs, with the WFPB group exhibiting a greater reduction. However, fruit, vegetable, and whole grain intake remained stable across groups. The findings suggest that participating in a dietary intervention, regardless of the specific diet prescribed, may support healthier eating behaviors in individuals with MCI. Further research is paramount to understanding how such changes impact cognitive health over time. [NPID: Whole food plant-based diet, planetary health diet, vegetarian, vegan, dietary patterns, cognitive health, mild cognitive impairment, online nutritional counseling]
Year: 2025
