MIND Diet Intervention and Cognitive Performance

Effect of MIND Diet Intervention on Cognitive Performance and Brain Structure in Healthy Obese Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This single-center, randomized trial examined the effect of MIND diet intervention on cognition and brain structure changes of healthy obese women over three months. The intervention group was lea to calorie-restricted modified by the MIND diet, and the control group received a calorie-restricted standard diet. The primary end-point was an assessment of cognitive performances measured with a comprehensive cognitive test battery. Secondary end-points were voxel-based morphometry to quantify the differences in brain structures. Our results revealed MIND diet could improve working memory, verbal recognition memory, and attention, more in comparison with the control group. Results also suggest that an increase in inferior frontal gyrus in the MIND diet group. Our study, for the first time, underlined that good adherence to the MIND diet as well as calorie restriction could reverse the destructive effect of obesity on cognition.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Middle-aged women (40-60 years),
• Without any metabolic complication,
• BMI 30-35 kg/m2,
• MMSE ≥ 24,
• And no history of severe untreated medical, neurological, and psychiatric diseases which may interfere with the study intervention.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have gastrointestinal problems,
• Participate in weight loss programs,
• Use weight loss drugs in the last three months,
• Had not wholly followed the dietary pattern,
• Became pregnant,
• And undergo special medical treatments during a three months study.