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This Diet Benefits Memory & Learning Later In Life, Research Reveals

Morgan Chamberlain
Author: Expert reviewer:
July 29, 2022
Morgan Chamberlain
Former mbg Supplement Editor
By Morgan Chamberlain
Former mbg Supplement Editor
Morgan Chamberlain is mindbodygreen's former supplement editor. She graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science degree in magazine journalism and a minor in nutrition.
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN
Expert review by
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN
Former mbg Vice President of Scientific Affairs
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN is Vice President of Scientific Affairs at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor's degree in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia.
Image by Trinette Reed / Stocksy
July 29, 2022

We all know by now that the Mediterranean diet can support whole-body health and longevity (especially when it comes to cardiovascular and cognitive support). But what you may not realize is that many of the studies that praise the diet's health benefits lack participant diversity. 

One demographic in particular has been under-researched when it comes to brain longevity studies: The U.S. Hispanic and Latino population has a genetic predisposition to suboptimal cognitive health outcomes later in life, and yet, members of this community are rarely included in studies on the Mediterranean diet and its long-term cognitive health benefits.

Until now, that is: A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association1 (JAMA) set out to investigate whether adherence to the Mediterranean diet can help Hispanic and Latino individuals maintain healthy cognitive function as they age. 

The brain longevity study design.

The study analyzed 6,321 healthy Hispanic or Latino adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) and the Study of Latinos–Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL–INCA), an HCHS/SOL ancillary study.

Researchers analyzed participants' health metrics, cognitive test results, and diet habits during two visits (the first in the HCHS/SOL and the second in the SOL-INCA, seven years later). 

Participants included in the new JAMA study had completed a diet assessment during visit one and neurocognitive evaluations during visits one and two to analyze whether adherence to the Mediterranean diet did, in fact, improve and/or maintain cognitive health outcomes over a span of seven years. The average age of participants included in the present study was 56 during the first visit, making them 63 years old, on average, during the second visit. 

How nutrition affects cognitive health in Hispanic & Latino adults.

The results of the JAMA study revealed participants who had a high-level adherence to the Mediterranean diet had better global cognition and were able to maintain episodic memory and learning more effectively than those with a low-level adherence to the diet. 

In addition to cognitive health benefits, participants in the moderate and high adherence groups were also found to have:

  • A better cardiovascular profile 
  • A lower body mass index (BMI)
  • Better kidney function

Interestingly, the study analysis also showed the influence that acculturation has on diet and long-term cognitive health for Hispanic and Latino Americans. 

Individuals in the moderate and high adherence groups were less likely to:

  • Be born in the U.S.
  • Use English as their preferred language
  • Have health insurance 

This inverse association between acculturation and adherence to the Mediterranean diet suggest that as Hispanic and Latino people move to and spend more time in the U.S., their dietary habits become less healthy, which can lead to unwanted health outcomes down the road. 

Interestingly, these results did not differ between groups when adjustments were made for social determinants of health (e.g., income, education, access to health insurance). Researchers from this JAMA study are currently investigating how socioeconomic factors influence adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cognitive health in depth to draw further conclusions. 

The takeaway.

This groundbreaking study on cognitive health of the U.S. Hispanic and Latino populations reveals that a culturally tailored Mediterranean diet may help maintain cognitive health outcomes later in life. While one's dietary pattern is a massively influential factor in long-term cognitive function, other focused actions can also be taken to promote brain longevity—such as taking a high-quality nootropic supplement that specifically supports cognitive health, like mbg's brain guard+.* 

Our longevity-focused brain health supplement features clinically researched ingredients (i.e., citicoline, resveratrol, and kanna) shown to promote memory, increase blood flow to the brain, and enhance cognitive functions such as learning, processing speed, executive function, and mental clarity.* brain guard+ is the brain-healthy supplement neuroscientists, psychiatrists, and other leading cognitive health experts take to promote their own brain performance and longevity.*

To discover other nootropic supplements that support memory, check out our roundup of the best memory supplements on the market today.*

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

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