Dietary fat intake associated with improved cognition among elderly: Study

China: Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly omega, through dietary sources may lower the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults through lowering oxidative stress, reports a recent study.

"Our findings, published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, implies that dietary PUFA supplementation may potentially lower cognitive impairment risk via an antioxidative mechanism," Bing Cao, Southwest University, Chongqing, P. R. China, and colleagues wrote in their study. 

The researchers conducted the study with the objective to evaluate the association between several dietary fats and multiple cognitive outcomes. Also, they assessed whether peripheral oxidative stress biomarkers are potential mediators of dietary fat intake and cognition relationship in the elderly. 

For this purpose, total fat, saturated fatty acid (SFAT), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), cholesterol, ω-3, and ω-6 fatty acids were used to evaluate dietary fat intakes through data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014. The researchers assessed cognitive outcomes by ord learning and recall modules from the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD), animal fluency test, and digit symbol substitution test (DSST). Antioxidant biomarkers were assessed by bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), uric acid, and vitamin D levels.  

"Dietary intakes of PUFA and ω-6 fatty acid were positively associated with DSST performance," wrote the authors. "The association between dietary intake of PUFA/ ω-3/ ω-6 and DSST performance was partially mediated by GGT level."

To conclude, dietary supplementation of PUFA may potentially reduce the risk of cognitive impairment via antioxidant mechanisms.

Reference:

The study titled, "Oxidative Stress Mediates the Association Between Dietary Fat Intake and Cognition in US Older Adults," was published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2022.01.001