Recent research suggests that older adults who are not picky about what they eat have better cognitive function than those who are picky eaters.
According to Nature Mental Health, the UK Biobank study analyzed the food likes and dislikes of around 182,000 older Britons, but rather than focusing on the effects of specific diets, the research team We investigated the relationship between preferences and mental health. .
After analyzing the data, certain trends became apparent. People with broad tastes and omnivorous appetites performed better on cognitive tests than people with more limited or strictly excluded tastes. These findings indicate that restrictive diets such as vegan, vegetarian, and high-protein diets may not be the best bet for brain health.
Rebecca McPherson, an associate professor at Brock University in Ontario, Canada, said the study's findings show that “specific food preferences have important associations with mental health, cognitive function, blood and metabolic biomarkers, and brain imaging.” This proves that,” he wrote in an email to The Washington Post. .
In one of the largest and longest-running health surveys ever conducted, participants were asked to complete a food ranking questionnaire that rated their preferences for 140 foods and beverages on a scale of 1 to 9. 1 means “dislike it very much” and 9 means “like it very much”. ”
The questionnaire included 10 categories: alcohol, non-alcoholic beverages, dairy products, condiments, fruits, fish, meat, snacks, starches, and vegetables. The researchers found that 57% of participants showed balanced preferences across all categories. Of the remaining population, 18% preferred non-starchy or reduced starch foods, 19% chose a diet high in protein and low in fiber, and the remaining 5% preferred a vegetarian diet.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, people who fall into the vegetarian category are “more susceptible” to symptoms of anxiety, depression and other forms of mental distress, according to researcher Wei Chen. Additionally, respondents who said they preferred foods high in protein and low in fiber were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and a “lower sense of well-being.”
Researchers believe a more balanced, less restrictive diet may be the key to maintaining cognitive function as we age. These experts describe a “balanced” diet as one that includes vegetables, fruits, cereals, nuts, seeds, dairy products, eggs, and fish.
But the full picture of taste and the link between what we eat and cognitive function may not be as clear-cut as research suggests.
As the Washington Post points out, study participants tended to be healthier than the general population. Furthermore, this data only shows the association between preferences and mental health, not actual food intake. This means that people who prefer certain food groups may have other characteristics that affect their mental health.
The Biobank study supports other research showing a relationship between what we eat and overall brain function.
The “Western diet”, chock-full of sugar and saturated fat, is associated with poor cognitive function and depression, and makes us fat, stupid, and potentially ineffective, while eating fish, rice, and fermented foods. A favorable Japanese diet was found to protect against dementia. Similarly, the highly praised balanced Mediterranean diet has been proven to support brain function as we age.
And that's not the only benefit of living a medical life. The Post reports that diet may reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder through the gut microbiome, but other research has shown that people who stick to the diet have a lower chance of dying early. It has been shown that there is a potential for a 29% reduction.