The effect of MIND diet on sleep status, mental health, and serum level of BDNF in overweight/obese diabetic women with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial

Insomnia is frequently observed in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and negatively impacts both mental well-being and overall quality of life. In women with type 2 diabetes who experienced insomnia, this study by Golmohammadi et al. (2025) assessed the effects of the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet on body measurements, sleep quality, mental health, and biochemical markers such as cortisol and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). For 12 weeks, 44 diabetic women between the ages of 30 and 65 were randomized to either the MIND diet group (n = 22) or the low-calorie diet (LCD) control group (n = 22) in this randomized controlled study (RCT). Measurements were taken both prior to and following the procedure. Following the MIND diet for 12 weeks led to a significant improvement in anxiety, depression, and sleep quality, as well as a discernible reduction in waist circumference, as compared to the control group. In addition, there was a notable rise in BDNF levels and a drop in cortisol levels in the MINDdiet group. These results imply that the MIND diet could be a useful nutritional approach for improving mental health, sleep quality, and certain biochemical markers in women with diabetes who suffer from insomnia. [NPID: MIND diet, diabetes mellitus, mental health, sleep quality, BDNF]

Year: 2025

Reference: Golmohammadi, M., Attari, V. E., Salimi, Y., Saed, L., Nachvak, S. M., & Samadi, M. (2025). The effect of MIND diet on sleep status, mental health, and serum level of BDNF in overweight/obese diabetic women with insomnia: a randomized controlled trial. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 8237. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-91389-y

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