The MIND diet, cognitive function, and well-being among healthy adults at midlife: A randomised feasibility trial

The Mediterranean and DASH diets have demonstrated benefits in slowing cognitive decline, though they were not initially designed for dementia prevention. In contrast, the MIND diet was specifically developed to support brain health and reduce cognitive decline by integrating dietary components linked to neuroprotection. This study by Timlin et al. (2025) used the Behaviour Change Wheel framework to assess how the MIND diet affects mood, quality of life, and cognitive performance. Additionally, the study designed an intervention based on the COM-B model to encourage adherence to the MIND diet during midlife. 41 volunteers between the ages of 40 and 55 participated in an online pilot randomized controlled study (RCT). Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) a MIND diet group with support (n=15), (2) a MIND diet group without support (n = 14), or (3) a control group (n = 12) for 12 weeks. Cognitive function, mood, quality of life (QOL), and MIND diet adherence were evaluated at baseline and after the intervention. Before and during the intervention, the study assessed participants’ ability, opportunity, and motivation (COM-B) to stick to the MIND diet. Both intervention groups showed substantial improvements in mood, QOL, MIND diet adherence, and all COM-B variables compared to the control group. However, no significant changes or group interactions were found in cognitive function. This study is among the few RCTs evaluating the MIND diet’s impact on cognitive function and the first to apply the COM-B model to enhance dietary adherence. Given the short duration of the intervention, future studies with extended follow-ups are needed to establish a stronger link between the MIND diet and cognitive function. According to the results, a behavior change strategy that emphasizes goal-setting, self-monitoring, and dietary education while reducing the number of Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs) may be useful to boost MIND diet adherence. [NPID: MIND diet, cognitive function, midlife]

Year: 2025

Reference: Timlin, D., McCormack, J. M., Kerr, M., Keaver, L., & Simpson, E. E. A. (2025). The MIND diet, cognitive function, and well-being among healthy adults at midlife: a randomised feasibility trial. BMC Nutrition, 11(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-025-01020-6

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