AUTHOR=Ayala-Garcia Amaia , Soldevila-Domenech Natalia , Yi So-Yun , de la Torre Rafael , Steffen Lyn M. , for the IAFNS Retrospective Harmonization Expert Working Group , Blackwell Courtney K. , Khoo Christina , Mansolf Maxwell Armand , Ros Emilio , Snetselaar Linda , Wey Tina TITLE=Diet patterns associated with cognitive decline: methods to harmonize data from European and US cohort studies JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition VOLUME=11 YEAR=2024 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1379531 DOI=10.3389/fnut.2024.1379531 ISSN=2296-861X ABSTRACT=

The impact of dietary intake on cognitive outcomes and dementia prevention is a topic of increasing interest. Meta-analyses of observational studies, mostly conducted within US and European populations, have reported benefits of healthy diet patterns on cognitive performance, but results from individual studies have been inconsistent. These inconsistencies are likely due to the diverse methodology used in studies, including different diet and cognitive function assessment instruments, follow-up periods, and analytical methods, which make drawing conclusions relevant to dietary guidance challenging. The objective of this project is to describe a protocol to conduct a retrospective harmonization study on dietary intake and cognitive health using data from European and US studies. The recommendations resulting from the project can be used to support evidence-based synthesis for future iterations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans or other population-based dietary guidance. Additionally, this study will serve as a harmonization guide for future research on the relationship between diet patterns and cognition. The approach outlined ultimately aims to optimize resources and expedite research efforts for dementia prevention.