The Longitudinal Association of Lifestyle with Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk: Findings from the HELIAD Study

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to investigate whether a Total Lifestyle Index (TLI), including adherence to the Mediterranean diet, sleep duration, physical activity and engagement in activities of daily living, is associated with cognitive health over time and dementia risk, in a representative cohort of older people. A total of 1018 non-demented community-dwelling older adults ≥65 years old (60% women) from the HELIAD study were included. A comprehensive neurological and neuropsychological assessment was conducted at baseline and at the 3-year follow-up evaluating cognitive functioning, and a dementia diagnosis was set. Diet, physical activity, sleep duration and engagement in activities of daily living were assessed using standard, validated questionnaires at baseline. Sixty-one participants developed dementia at follow-up; participants who developed dementia were older and had fewer years of education compared with participants with normal cognition. With the exception of sleep duration, participants with normal cognition at follow-up scored higher in the individual lifestyle factors compared to those who developed dementia. Regarding TLI, values were lower for participants with dementia compared with those with normal cognition. Each additional unit of the TLI was associated with 0.5% of a standard deviation less decline per year of the Global Cognition score, whereas for each additional unit of the TLI, the risk for dementia was reduced by 0.2% per year (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that greater adherence to a healthy lifestyle pattern is associated with a slower decline of cognitive function and reduced dementia risk.

Optimal cardiovascular health is associated with slower cognitive decline

“…Regarding lifestyle behaviors, the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet (HELIAD) study investigated the association between a total lifestyle index (assessing adherence to Mediterranean diet, sleep duration, physical activity, and engagement in daily life activities) and cognitive decline or dementia risk in 1018 community‐dwelling older adults over 3 years of follow‐up. Participants who did not develop dementia had higher scores on the total lifestyle index and for all the individual lifestyle factors, except for sleep duration [43]. In our study, higher scores on the diet metric were marginally associated with slower cognitive decline, and less nicotine exposure was associated with faster cognitive decline.…”

Association between Mediterranean diet and dementia and Alzheimer disease: a systematic review with meta-analysis

“… OR” = 0.91 (0.82–1.00); 0.055 All type of dementia cohort studies [ 19 , 39 , 40 , 42 – 50 , 52 , 53 ] 55,205 14 HR^ = 0.97 (0.96–0.99); 0.001 89.70; <0.001 −1.76; 0.053 HR^ = 0.99 (0.97–1.00); 0.039 HR” = 0.84 (0.76–0.94); 0.002 HR” = 0.85 (0.76–0.95); 0.003 Dementia: including diagnosis of unspecified Dementia and/or mild cognitive impairment Dementia b [ 36 , 38 – 42 , 44 – 46 , 48 – 50 , 52 , 54 ] 59,571 16 OR^ = 0.96 (0.95–0.98); <0.001 53.56, 0.005 −0.72; 0.078 OR^ = 0.97 (0.96–0.98); <0.001 OR” = 0.93 (0.88–0.98); 0.005 OR” = 0.96 (0.91–1.02); 0.196 Dementia c [ 19 , 36 , 38 – 42 , 44 – 46 , 48 – 50 , 52 , 54 ] 59,571 16 OR^ = 0.96 (0.95–0.98); <0.001 54.62; 0.004 …”

“… OR” = 0.92 (0.88–0.97); <0.001 Dementia cohort studies [ 19 , 39 , 40 , 42 , 44 – 46 , 48 – 50 , 52 ] 50,805 11 HR^ = 0.98 (0.97–1.00); 0.025 63.07; 0.002 −0.86; 0.113 HR^ = 0.99 (0.98–1.00); 0.025 HR” = 0.94 (0.87–1.01); 0.083 HR” = 1.00 (0.92–1.08); 0.912 Dementia: only including diagnosis of unspecified Dementia Dementia [ 19 , 36 , 38 – 41 , 44 , 46 , 48 , 49 ] 55,092 12 OR^ = 0.96 (0.95–0.98); <0.001 59.86; 0.003 −0.62; 0.239 OR^ = 0.97 (0.95–0.98); <0.001 OR” = 0.94 (0.88–0.99); 0.021 OR” = 0.94 (0.88–0.99); 0.021 Dementia cross sectional [ 36 , 38 , 41 , 44 , 48 ] 14,319 5 OR^ = 0.92 (0.88–0.97); <0.001 0.00; 0.797 0.41; 0.379 n.a. OR” = 0.92 (0.88–0.97); <0.001 Dementia cohort studies …”

Nutrition Patterns of Polish Esports Players

“…Defining a healthy DP is important for creating dietary guidelines and defining practices to monitor and improve diet quality, both at the individual level and for the general population [ 26 ]. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) pattern in middle-aged and elderly populations correlates with better cognitive abilities [ 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Our list ( Table 1 ) is consistent with the main characteristics of MeDi, including consumption of fruits, vegetables, olive oils, whole grains products, fish, low-fat milk products, poultry, tea, coffee and reduced consumption of red meat, sausages and refined cereals, which negatively impact on brain function ( Table 2 ) [ 30 ].…”