MIND diet may slow cognitive decline
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Following the MIND diet — which emphasizes plant-based foods and limited consumption of animal products and saturated fats — for at least a year may slow cognitive decline compared to other eating patterns, especially among women and Black people, according to a study published Oct. 22, 2024, in Neurology.
The study involved 14,145 people ages 45 and older (average age 64, 57% women) who completed questionnaires describing their eating patterns for the past year. Participants also took standard cognitive tests such as being asked to repeat three words back to an interviewer and name the year, month, and day of the week.
The researchers found that people who most closely followed the MIND diet had a 4% lower risk of showing signs of cognitive decline. Those results were more pronounced among women and Black participants. MIND (which stands for the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) was developed to support healthy brain aging. Important components of the diet include green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries, poultry, and fish.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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