Home › Research › Prevention trials
Dietary Patterns and Risk of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Enthusiasm Before Evidence?
Sarah L. Booth. Innovation in Aging, 2025-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract With respect to brain aging, there has been particular emphasis in the literature on three named diet patterns, DASH, the “Mediterranean” diet, and the MIND diet. Between 1980 and 2024, 139 human observational or intervention studies were published that examined the role of these individual dietary patterns in brain aging. When systematically reviewed using the USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review method and an a priori established protocol, a common theme emerged: diets characterized by higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish, seafood, and unsaturated vegetable oils, alongside lower intake of red and processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages, are consistently associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia. However, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the critical timing and duration of dietary pattern consumption in early adulthood for the prevention of cognitive decline. Furthermore, the biological mechanisms responsible for the cognitive protective effects of these diets remain unclear. Ultimately, it is important to understand the underlying mechanisms of select nutritional factors found within healthy dietary patterns that are not sufficiently consumed in the U.S. population yet show promise in delaying various aspects of brain aging.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Booth, S. L. (2025). Dietary Patterns and Risk of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Enthusiasm Before Evidence? Innovation in Aging. https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaf122.1872
Vancouver
Booth SL. Dietary Patterns and Risk of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Enthusiasm Before Evidence? Innovation in Aging. 2025. doi:10.1093/geroni/igaf122.1872.
BibTeX
@article{booth2025-f7c16b6d,
author = {Booth, Sarah L.},
title = {{Dietary Patterns and Risk of Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Dementia: Enthusiasm Before Evidence?}},
journal = {Innovation in Aging},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaf122.1872},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaf122.1872}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- When systematically reviewed using the USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review method and an a priori established protocol, a common theme emerged: diets characterized by higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish, seafood, and unsaturated vegetable oils, alongside lower intake of red and processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages, are consistently associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
- However, a significant knowledge gap remains regarding the critical timing and duration of dietary pattern consumption in early adulthood for the prevention of cognitive decline.
Why it matters
This systematic review of 139 studies found that diets higher in vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, fish, seafood, and unsaturated vegetable oils, with lower intake of red and processed meats and sugar-sweetened beverages, are consistently associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia. It notes a significant knowledge gap about the critical timing and duration of dietary pattern consumption in early adulthood and that the biological mechanisms remain unclear.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Study designsystematic review
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a systematic review of all the studies on the question. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Innovation in Aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Innovation in Aging: journal h-index 48 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 12 / 12 | A systematic review of all the studies on the question |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | A review of other studies — randomization is not credited here |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Sarah L. Booth: h-index 73 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Tufts University: institution h-index 1,045 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Related
Studies in the library that share something with this one. The line above each title says what.
Related studies in Prevention trials
Also tagged “incidence”
1,084 studies in the library carry the topic tag “incidence”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 1,084 tagged studies.