Evidence from a limited number of randomised controlled intervention trials (RCTs) have shown that a Mediterranean dietary pattern may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and enhance cognitive function among healthy older adults. However, there are currently no data in non-Mediterranean older adult populations. The present study aimed to address this gap by examining the effect of a Mediterranean dietary pattern (MedDiet) for six months on aspects of cognitive function in a randomised controlled intervention trial (the MedLey study) that extended for a duration of 18 months. In the final analysed cohort, a total of 137 men and women (mean age of 72.1 ± 5.0 years) randomly assigned to either a MedDiet or control diet (HabDiet) (i.e., habitual dietary intake), were assessed on a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery, including 11 individual tests. In multivariable-adjusted models, the MedDiet group did not perform significantly better than the HabDiet control group for executive functioning (adjusted mean differences: +2.53, 95% CI −2.59 to 7.65, p = 0.33); speed of processing (adjusted mean differences: +3.24, 95% CI −1.21 to 7.70, p = 0.15); memory (adjusted mean differences: +2.00, 95% CI −3.88 to 7.88, p = 0.50); visual-spatial ability (adjusted mean differences: +0.21, 95% CI −0.38 to 0.81, 0.48); and overall age-related cognitive performance (adjusted mean differences: +7.99, 95% CI −4.00 to 19.9, p = 0.19). In conclusion, this study did not find evidence of a beneficial effect of a MedDiet intervention on cognitive function among healthy older adults.

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Objective: Anecdotal claims insinuate that female Australian university students may be engaging in a new type of hazardous phenomena called "drunkorexia" (i.e., using disordered eating to compensate for planned binge drinking). However, to date, this conjecture has not been validated by empirical evidence. The primary aim of the present study was to estimate the frequency of drunkorexia behaviours in a population of non-clinical Australian undergraduate female university students. A secondary aim was to explore whether drunkorexia may be a stand-alone problem, separate from traditional eating disorders. Methods: One hundred and thirty-six healthy female Australian undergraduate university students between 18 and 25 years (M=21.32, SD=2.73) completed the self-report Compensatory Eating and Behaviors in Response to Alcohol Consumption Scale to screen for drunkorexia symptomatology. Results: Among the study sample, 57.7% (n = 85) of Australian female university students reported drunkorexia-type behaviours 25% of the time or more, while 27.2% (n = 37) reported no drunkorexia-type behaviour. In addition, 16.2 8% (n = 22) of the participants reported engaging in characteristic drunkorexic behaviours to specifically offset ingested alcohol calories while not engaging in such behaviours routinely for any other reason or with any other type of food or drink. Conclusions: Results of this study add preliminary empirical evidence that a number of Australian female university students are employing drunkorexia-type behaviours as a way to drink alcohol without the concern of ingested calories. Further evidence is needed to definitively conclude that drunkorexia represents a distinctive problem that is separate from traditional eating disorders.

BackgroundThe incidence of age-related cognitive decline is rising considerably around the world. There is evidence from a number of recent cross-sectional and prospective studies indicating positive associations between the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MedDiet) and improved cognitive outcomes among the elderly including, reduced age-related cognitive decline and enhanced age-related cognitive performance. However, to date no study has validated these associations in healthy older adult populations (≥65 years and above) with randomised evidence. The main aim of the present study is to provide justified evidence regarding the efficacy of a MedDiet approach to safely reduce the onset of cognitive decline, and promote optimal cognitive performance among healthy older adults using rigorous, randomised intervention methodology.Methods/DesignMedLey is a 6-month, randomised controlled 2-cohort parallel group intervention trial, with initial assessment at baseline and repeated every three months. A sample of 166 healthy Australian men and women aged 65 years and above, with normal cognitive function and proficient in English language were recruited from metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia for the study. Participants randomly allocated to the experimental group are required to maintain an intervention dietary pattern based from the traditional Cretan MedDiet (i.e. vegetables, fruits, olive oil, legumes, fish, whole grain cereals, nuts and seeds and low consumption of processed foods, dairy products, red meat and vegetable oils) for six months, while those participants allocated to the control group are asked to maintain their customary lifestyle and diet. The primary outcome of interest is the quantitative difference in age-related cognitive performance, as measured by latent variables (cognitive constructs) sensitive to normal ageing and diet (i.e. speed of processing, memory, attention, executive functions, visual spatial and visuomotor ability). Secondary outcomes include change in biomarkers of inflammation, oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, glucose, insulin, blood flow velocity, and psychological well-being factors (i.e. stress, sleep, anxiety, depression).DiscussionTo our knowledge this will be one of the first randomised clinical trials worldwide to provide evidence for the cause-effect relationship between the MedDiet and age-related cognitive function in a healthy older adult population (≥65 years and over).Trial registrationAustralia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): ACTRN12613000602729.

One of the important challenges for future research will be to aim toward some kind of standardized neuropsychological assessment criteria. This type of endeavor will enable the ability to validate with greater confidence, whether or not adherence to a MedDiet does promote benefit for age-related cognitive function.