Food for Thought: The Relationship between Dietary Patterns, Cardio-metabolic Risk and Cognitive Performance in Middle Age and Older Adults

This thesis aimed to explore the relationship between diet, cardio-metabolic health and cognition in healthy middle-aged adults and older adults at risk of cognitive decline. This thesis provides empirical evidence that in middle age, adherence to the MIND (MedDiet–DASHIntervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet was associated with better cognitive performance. However, in older adults, only the interaction between diet and cardio-metabolic health was related to cognitive outcomes. Overall, the findings have implications for future research and intervention studies, suggesting that diet may be a modifiable risk factor to reduce cognitive decline.