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A 12-week MIND diet intervention, supported by the COM-B behavior change model, significantly improves mood, quality of life, and diet adherence in healthy midlife adults, though it does not yield significant changes in cognitive function over this short duration. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

March 25, 2025BMC Nutrition11 citationsOpen Access

The MIND diet, cognitive function, and well-being among healthy adults at midlife: a randomised feasibility trial

DTDeirdre TimlinQueensland Health JMJacqueline McCormackAtlantic Health System MKMaeve KerrUniversity of Ulster

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets have been shown to slow cognitive decline. However, these diets were not originally developed with dementia prevention as their primary focus. In contrast, the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet was specifically designed based on evidence linking individual dietary components to brain health and the prevention of cognitive decline. The aim of this research was to test the effectiveness of the MIND diet on cognitive function, mood, and quality of life using the Behaviour Change Wheel, and to design an intervention using the COM-B model to promote the MIND diet at midlife. METHODS: An online pilot randomised control trial (RCT) was conducted. Forty-one participants (aged 40-55 years, male and female) were randomised into a MIND diet with support group (n = 15), MIND diet group with no support (n = 14) or control group (n = 12) for 12 weeks. Baseline and follow-up measures of cognitive function, mood, quality of life (QOL) and adherence to MIND diet was assessed in each group. Capability, opportunity, and motivation (COM-B) towards MIND diet behaviour were also assessed pre and post intervention. RESULTS: A repeated measures ANOVA showed that in comparison to the control group, both intervention groups significantly improved mood, quality of life, MIND diet score and all COM-B components at follow-up (p < 0.05). No significant differences or interactions in cognitive function were found between groups. CONCLUSION: There are only two RCT's that test the effectiveness of the MIND diet on cognitive function, and this is the first RCT to assess the usefulness of the COM-B in increasing adherence to the MIND diet. Future interventions with longer duration are needed to establish an association with MIND diet and cognitive function in adults at midlife. This study recommends using less Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) with a focus on self-monitoring, goal setting and education on diet as an effective strategy for promoting adherence to the MIND diet. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Record NCT04654936, May 2019.

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