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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutrition, Psychology and Brain Health
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1455975

The Role of Composite Dietary Antioxidants in Elderly Cognitive Function: Insights from NHANES

Provisionally accepted
Fangsen Chen Fangsen Chen Junhan Chen Junhan Chen Peitian Liu Peitian Liu Yanling Huang Yanling Huang *
  • Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: This study investigates the relationship between the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI) and cognitive function among elderly individuals, aiming to understand how increased antioxidant intake affects cognitive abilities in an aging population. Methods: Utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011-2014, we analyzed a sample of 2,516 participants aged 60 and above. Cognitive performance was assessed using the CERAD Word Learning and Recall Test, the Animal Fluency Test, and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Multivariable regression models were adjusted for demographic, dietary, and health-related factors to explore the association between CDAI scores and cognitive outcomes. Results: The regression analyses showed a statistically significant positive association between higher CDAI scores and cognitive performance across several tests. Specifically, increments in CDAI were associated with increased scores in the CERAD Word Learning Test: Score 1 (β=0.04, 95% CI [0.03, 0.06]), Score 2 (β=0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.05]), Score 3 (β=0.04, 95% CI [0.02, 0.06]), and the Delayed Recall Test (β=0.04, 95% CI [0.01, 0.06]). Additionally, significant improvements were observed in the Animal Fluency Test (β=0.19, 95% CI [0.14, 0.24]) and the Digit Symbol Test (β=0.55, 95% CI [0.39, 0.71]). Subgroup analyses further highlighted that higher CDAI scores conferred more pronounced cognitive benefits in women, individuals aged 80 and above, Non-Hispanic black people, and those with lower educational levels, suggesting that dietary antioxidants might be particularly beneficial in these groups. Conclusion: An antioxidant-rich diet may represent a viable intervention to mitigate age-related cognitive decline, supporting cognitive health in the elderly. These results underscore the potential public health implications of dietary recommendations aimed at increasing antioxidant consumption among older adults. Further studies are necessary to confirm these findings and to investigate the underlying mechanisms in detail.

    Keywords: Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index, Cognitive Function, older adults, Antioxidant intake, NHANES

    Received: 01 Jul 2024; Accepted: 05 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Chen, Chen, Liu and Huang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Yanling Huang, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361004, Fujian Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.