Navigation
Mediterranean diet improves cognition: The PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomised trial
This 2013 randomised controlled trial assessed the effect of a nutritional intervention using Mediterranean Diets (MedDiets) on cognition, compared to with a low-fat control diet. The 522 participants of this present trial (44.6% men, age 74.6 ± 5.7 years at cognitive evaluation) were at high vascular risk and had enrolled in a multicentre, randomised, primary prevention trial (PREDIMED), after a nutritional intervention comparing two MedDiets (supplemented with either extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) or mixed nuts) versus a low-fat control diet. The results demonstrated that after adjustments were made for numerous variables including sex, age, and education, those assigned to the Mediterranean Diet with EVOO supplement scored higher in mean Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Clock Drawing Test (CDT), during the two examination methods for global cognitive performance, versus the control group. The adjusted means of MMSE and CDT scores were also higher for participants who took mixed nuts supplements compared to control. These results did not differ after controlling for incident depression. Martínez-Lapiscina et al. (2013) concluded that an intervention with MedDiets enhanced with either extra-virgin olive oil or nuts appears to improve cognition relative to a low-fat diet. [NPID: cognition, Mediterranean diet, low fat]
Year: 2013
