Impact of Diverse Dietary Patterns on Cognitive Health: Cumulative Evidence from Prospective Cohort Studies

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The aging population is associated with an increased incidence of dementia, which deteriorates the quality of life of adults, leading to an elevated socioeconomic burden. This review aimed to extensively examine which dietary patterns favorably influence cognitive outcomes based on prospective cohort studies of adults. Methods: A literature search was performed in the PubMed (R)/MEDLINE (R) database up to 30 October 2024. Results: One hundred and eighteen publications were included. In a comparison of high and low categories, the Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet increased cognitive function and reduced the risk of cognitive impairment. The Mediterranean (MED) diet improved cognitive function but showed no beneficial effects on cognitive impairment or dementia. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet lowered the risk of cognitive impairment but showed no alteration in either cognitive function or dementia. The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) did not alter cognitive function, cognitive impairment, or dementia. The healthy plant-based dietary index (hPDI) decreased the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, whereas the unhealthy plant-based dietary index (uPDI) elevated the risk of cognitive impairment. The Western dietary pattern (WDP) decreased cognitive function. Conclusions: The MIND diet and hPDI appeared to be effective, while the WDP appeared to be detrimental for cognitive health. Further prospective cohort studies of healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns are required to confirm the association between diverse diets and cognitive health.