Effect of MIND diet intervention on cognitive

performance and brain structure in healthy

obese women: a randomized controlled trial

Michael Radigan
Introduction

– Associated risk between obesity and alterations to global cognitive function and brain volume

– Middle aged obesity has extensive research in premature neurodegeneration

– If middle aged obesity impairs cognition and brain disease, then obesity intervention would prevent new
cases of brain diseases in the future

– The MIND diet seeks to improve cognitive function while being an effective tool for weight loss
Methods: Design and Statistics

● First of its kind

● Randomized control trial
● Finalized data was put into SSPS and
accounted for p < 0.05
● Specifically independent and paired
t-tests were used
● ANOVA and Man-Whitney were also
used
Methods: Intervention

Intervention →

1. Randomly assigned to group and FFQs given

for data
Control → 2. Comprehensive neuropsychological tests and
caloric medical interviews at check ins
restriction 3. EG received education and planned their own
meals with the help of a dietitian.
4. Maximum decrease of 500 Kcal in both groups
5. Three months of observation in accordance
Experimental → with inclusion criteria and three months of
cr w/ MIND diet recorded intervention. (data recorded before
and after intervention
Methods: the MIND Diet

The Mediterranean DASH Intervention for → Emphasis on

Neurodegenerative Delay
- Whole foods
→ Limit - Plant-based options
- Increased consumption of berries and leafy
- Processed foods greens
- Saturated fats - Whole grains
- Calorically dense foods - Nuts, seeds, and legumes
- Fish
- Olive oil
Methods: Participants
Inclusion Criteria → Women, 40-60 yr, BMI = 30 -35
kg/m^2
Exclusion Criteria → 24 > MMSE, cases of untreated
severe cognitive dysfunction or psychiatric illness
Sample size → total n = 37, experimental n = 22,
and control n = 15
Outcomes →
1. Assessment of cognitive performance
- Done by a series of neurocognitive tests
2. Clinical and anthropometric data
- Measures body composition and collect
background health and lifestyle data
3. Image acquisition and processing
- Those selected for MRI to see changes in
brain
Results: Clinical and Anthropological

- Interpreting the figure (sideways)

- Bar measuring the mean and brackets the
standard error of the mean
- They do not overlap in A or B illustrating their
significance.
Results: Cognitive Function

● ⅚ tests show significant difference among

groups
● Both groups are generally associated with
improved cognition but MIND w/ cr is better
● FDST, LNST, and SDMT are the strongest
Results:
Cognitive
Function
Results: Imaging
Discussion
→ Looking at the data we can confirm that caloric
restriction improves risk factors and current
symptoms associated with neurodegenerative
diseases.
→ This study shows that this effect is even greater
when the caloric restriction follows a more specific
way of eating
Limitations:
- Conflicting guidance on MIND diet
compliance
- Participants, with no monetary aid, supplied
their own meals → administered their own
treatment
- Relatively short experimental period
- small sample size
- Blind study is impossible
Funding

- Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in

Shiraz, Iran
- Grant numbers 97-01-84-17299
Referenced

Arjmand G, Abbas-Zadeh M, Eftekhari MH. Effect of mind diet intervention on cognitive

performance and brain structure in healthy obese women: A randomized controlled trial.
Scientific Reports. 2022;12(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-021-04258-9