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The role of the MIND diet in Alzheimer's disease patients: A case-control study on malnutrition and depression
Nurefşan Konyalıgil Öztürk, Canan Akünal Türel. Nutrition, 2025-12-22
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective The aim of this study was to examine the association between depression, malnutrition, and the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet in Alzheimer's disease patients. Methods This study included 30 patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 30 healthy controls. A questionnaire form including sociodemographic characteristics was applied to the individuals. In addition, anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, nutritional status (Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) and MIND diet scores) and mental health status [Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)]. Results BDI and BAI scores were significantly higher in the AD group compared to the control group. MIND diet score was found to be significantly lower in the AD group compared to the control group (independent t-tests, P < 0.05). Higher adherence to the MIND diet was significantly associated with lower malnutrition and depression scores among Alzheimer's disease patients (correlation analyses, P < 0.05). The risk of developing AD was found to be 2.034 times higher in those with high malnutrition status (logistic regression analysis, 95% CI; 1.143–3.621; P = 0.016, R 2 : 44.2%). Those with a high MIND diet score had an approximately 2.879-fold increased chance of being healthy (logistic regression analysis, 95% CI; 1.506–5.503; P = 0.001, R 2 : 44.2%). According to ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for the depression score was 0.946 ( P < 0.001). Conclusions These findings suggest that adherence to the MIND diet may support nutrition and psychological well-being in AD and highlight the value of integrating nutrition-based approaches into dementia care.
Key findings
- Results BDI and BAI scores were significantly higher in the AD group compared to the control group.
- MIND diet score was found to be significantly lower in the AD group compared to the control group (independent t-tests, P < 0.05).
- Higher adherence to the MIND diet was significantly associated with lower malnutrition and depression scores among Alzheimer's disease patients (correlation analyses, P < 0.05).
- Conclusions These findings suggest that adherence to the MIND diet may support nutrition and psychological well-being in AD and highlight the value of integrating nutrition-based approaches into dementia care.
Why it matters
In this small case-control study of 30 Alzheimer's patients and 30 healthy controls, higher MIND diet adherence was associated with lower malnutrition and depression scores among patients. The study cannot show whether the diet prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Participants30
- Effect size44.2%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 37/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nutrition) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Nutrition: journal h-index 200 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” 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 | 1 / 4 | 30 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.8× 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 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Canan Akünal Türel: h-index 6 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University: institution h-index 162 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41539164) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 37 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Öztürk, N. K., & Türel, C. A. (2025). The role of the MIND diet in Alzheimer's disease patients: A case-control study on malnutrition and depression. Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2025.113077
Vancouver
Öztürk NK, Türel CA. The role of the MIND diet in Alzheimer's disease patients: A case-control study on malnutrition and depression. Nutrition. 2025. doi:10.1016/j.nut.2025.113077. PMID: 41539164.
BibTeX
@article{ozturk2025-41539164,
author = {Öztürk, Nurefşan Konyalıgil and Türel, Canan Akünal},
title = {{The role of the MIND diet in Alzheimer's disease patients: A case-control study on malnutrition and depression}},
journal = {Nutrition},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1016/j.nut.2025.113077},
pmid = {41539164},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2025.113077}
}
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