Relationships Between Nutrition Literacy, Diet Quality, and Cognitive Function in Older Adults Without Cognitive Impairment

IF 2.3 3区医学 Q2 EDUCATION, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.jneb.2025.05.046

Heather Gibbs PhD, RD, Kelechi Anuforo MSc, Suzanne Hunt MS, Jonathan Mahnken PhD, Kendra Spaeth MS, RD, Debra Sullivan Ph, RD

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Nutrition literacy is associated with diet quality and has an inverse relationship with older age. Nutrition literacy likely depends on cognitive skills that enable understanding, assessing, and applying nutrition information. However, relationships between cognitive function and nutrition literacy are underexplored.

Objective

Describe the relationship between diet quality, nutrition literacy and cognitive function.

Study Design, Settings, Participants

Secondary analysis of baseline data collected from participants of a randomized controlled trial comparing effects of two diets on cognition. Participants were ≥ 65 years without cognitive impairment (MMSE ≥25).

Measurable Outcome/Analysis

Nutrition literacy was measured by the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument, consisting of 6 subscales. Cognition was measured using the NIH Toolbox battery of 16 tests normalized by age and sex to calculate an overall composite score and score for each of 5 cognitive domains. Diet quality was measured by the Healthy Eating Index-2015 calculated by Nutrition Data Systems for Research from 3-day food records. Linear regression and multivariate linear regressions were performed with statistical significance of alpha=0.05.

Results

Data were analyzed for 196 adults averaging 71.2 years. A composite cognition score was associated with overall nutrition literacy (β = 1.83, R2= 0.0824, p < 0.01). Cognitive domains associated with overall nutrition literacy were verbal memory (p=.048) and executive function (p=.048). Three nutrition literacy subscales were associated with overall cognition including Energy Sources in Food (p < .01), Food Label & Numeracy (p< 0.01), and Consumer Skills (p=.027). Energy Sources in Food subscale was associated with verbal memory and executive function (p < .01), Food Label & Numeracy subscale was associated with attention (p=.03), and Consumer Skills was associated with executive function (p=.038) . Diet quality was modeled with nutrition literacy as the main effect (β = 0.83, R2= 0.145, p < .01) while controlling for cognitive function, age, education, BMI, and chronic health conditions.

Conclusions

Findings suggest verbal memory and executive function are cognitive functions important for overall nutrition literacy. Identifying energy sources in food, interpreting nutrition labeling, and consumer decision-making are nutrition literacy skills that carry higher cognitive load.

Funding

NIH

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无认知障碍老年人营养素养、饮食质量与认知功能的关系

营养素养与饮食质量相关，与年龄成反比关系。营养素养可能取决于能够理解、评估和应用营养信息的认知技能。然而，认知功能和营养素养之间的关系尚未得到充分探讨。目的探讨饮食质量、营养素养与认知功能的关系。研究设计、设置、参与者对从随机对照试验参与者收集的基线数据进行二次分析，比较两种饮食对认知的影响。参与者年龄≥65岁，无认知障碍（MMSE≥25）。可测量结果/分析采用营养素养评估工具测量营养素养，该工具由6个分量表组成。认知使用NIH工具箱的16项测试，按年龄和性别归一化，计算整体综合得分和5个认知领域的得分。饮食质量由营养数据研究系统根据3天的食物记录计算得出的2015年健康饮食指数来衡量。进行线性回归和多元线性回归，alpha=0.05有统计学意义。结果对196名平均年龄71.2岁的成年人进行数据分析。综合认知评分与整体营养素养相关(β = 1.83,R2= 0.0824, p <；0.01)。与整体营养素养相关的认知领域是言语记忆（p= 0.048）和执行功能（p= 0.048）。三个营养素养量表与整体认知相关，包括食物中的能量来源(p <；.01)，食品标签&；计算能力(术中;0.01)和消费者技能（p= 0.027）。食物分量表中的能量来源与言语记忆和执行功能相关(p <；.01)，食品标签&；计算能力子量表与注意力相关（p=.03），消费技能与执行功能相关（p=.038）。饮食质量模型以营养素养为主要影响因素(β = 0.83,R2= 0.145, p <；.01)，同时控制认知功能、年龄、教育程度、BMI和慢性健康状况。结论言语记忆和执行功能是整体营养素养的重要认知功能。识别食物中的能量来源、解读营养标签和消费者决策是具有更高认知负荷的营养素养技能。FundingNIH

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来源期刊

Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior 医学-学科教育

CiteScore

4.20

自引率

11.50%

发文量

379

审稿时长

44 days

期刊介绍： The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior, is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a global resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education; nutrition and physical activity behavior theories and intervention outcomes; complementary and alternative medicine related to nutrition behaviors; food environment; food, nutrition, and physical activity communication strategies including technology; nutrition-related economics; food safety education; and scholarship of learning related to these areas. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research and emerging issues and practices relevant to these areas worldwide. The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior welcomes evidence-based manuscripts that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests in nutrition and physical activity related to public health, nutritional sciences, education, behavioral economics, family and consumer sciences, and eHealth, including the interests of community-based nutrition-practitioners. As the Society''s official journal, JNEB also includes policy statements, issue perspectives, position papers, and member communications.