| Abstract: | Background: Although nutrition is known to be one of the major external factors having impact on cognitive deterioration, the possible role of fruit and vegetable intake frequency in cognitive function is not well understood. Objective: This study aims to explore the possible role of fruit-vegetable consumption frequency in cognitive function in older Taiwanese. Method: Data for this analysis were the 1999 and 2003 datasets of the "Survey of Health and Living Status of the Older in Taiwan". Subjects were 2890 Taiwanese men and women ?65-year-old. The consumption frequency of fruits and vegetables in 1999 was examined for its association with the current risk of cognitive status and for its association with the risk of cognitive decline four years later. Cognitive status and cognitive decline were rated with the SPMSQ scale. A reduction of 2 SPMSQ points was designated as a decline. Results: Compared to those who consumed fruit-vegetable ?4 times/wk, those who consumed ?5 times/wk had a 27% reduction in the risk of cognitive impairment (OR＝0.73, 95% CI＝0.57-0.94, p＝0.014). Likewise, those who comsume legume ?3 times compared to ? 2 times/week reduced cognitive impairment by 25% (0.75, 0.59-0.95, P = 0.019). Further, more frequent fruit-vegetable consumption also reduced cognitive decline by 24% (0.76, 0.60-0.96, p＝0.024) 4-years later. Both regression models were controlled for gender, age, years of education, leisure activities, smoking, drinking, chewing betel nut, physical activity, leisure activity, intake of fish oil & lecithin, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.Conclusions: More frequent fruit-vegetable consumption is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment and a reduction in cognitive decline. These results suggest that the intake of fruits and vegetables may offer protection against cognitive decline. The study also highlights the importance of diet for the elderly to delay the aging-associated memory deterioration. |
