Emerging research highlights how our diet can influence cognitive health in later life. This groundbreaking study is the first large-scale analysis connecting specific foods to cognitive decline, revealing cheese's protective effects against age-related issues and red wine's link to enhanced cognitive function.
Led by Auriel Willette, assistant professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition, and Brandon Klinedinst, a Neuroscience doctoral student in the same department at Iowa State University, the research draws from extensive data analysis.
The team examined data from 1,787 adults aged 46 to 77 from the UK Biobank, a premier biomedical database with in-depth genetic and health records from 500,000 British participants. Approved researchers worldwide use it to study major diseases.
Participants took the Fluid Intelligence Test (FIT) via touchscreen at baseline (2006-2010) and two follow-ups (2012-2013 and 2015-2016), assessing real-time thinking skills. They also reported dietary habits, including fresh fruit, dried fruit, raw and cooked vegetables, fatty and lean fish, processed meat, poultry, beef, lamb, pork, cheese, bread, cereal, tea, coffee, beer, cider, red wine, white wine, champagne, and spirits.
Key findings from the study include:
“I was pleasantly surprised that our results suggest that eating cheese responsibly and drinking red wine daily are not only good for helping us cope with our current COVID-19 pandemic, but perhaps also in coping with an increasingly complex world that never seems to slow down,” Willette said. “While we took into account whether this was just due to what affluent people eat and drink, randomized clinical trials are needed to determine whether making simple changes to our diet could help our brains in significant ways.”
Klinedinst added: “Depending on the genetic factors you carry, some individuals appear to be better protected against the effects of Alzheimer's, while others appear to be at greater risk. That said, I believe that the right food choices can prevent disease and cognitive decline. Maybe the silver bullet we're looking for is improving the way we eat. Knowing what that entails contributes to a better understanding of Alzheimer's disease and to put this disease on a reverse trajectory.”
