Association of chrono-nutrition behaviors with cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults

Chrono-nutrition, as a new branch of nutritional science, examines the health implications of meal timing, frequency, regularity and its coordination with circadian rhythms. Emerging studies highlight the pivotal role of chrono-nutrition behaviors on aging, yet the associations with cognitive function remain inconclusive. Information on chrono-nutrition behaviors was assessed using validated questionnaires. The global and domain-specific cognition were evaluated using a battery of neuropsychological tests. Linear and logistic regression models were employed to assess the associations. False discovery rates (FDRs) were controlled using multiple-comparison corrections. Greater eating frequency and snacks were associated with worse global cognition and poorer memory. With respect to meal timing, nighttime eating ( β = −0.21, 95% CI: −0.33 ~ −0.09, FDR- P = 0.004) and prolonged eating windows ( β = −0.29, 95% CI: −0.38 ~ −0.21, FDR- P < 0.001) were significantly related to worse memory. Regarding the coordination of eating with circadian rhythms, longer morning latency was associated with worse global and attention, whereas longer evening latency was prominently related to better global cognition and memory function ( β = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.19 ~ 0.38, FDR- P < 0.001). Chrono-nutrition behaviors characterized by higher eating frequency, more snacks, nighttime eating, extended eating windows, longer morning latency, and shorter evening latency were associated with poorer cognition, particularly memory function. These findings underscore the importance of chrono-nutrition in cognitive health.