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A comparative study of the EAT-Lancet diet and the Mediterranean diet in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performance

Samuelsson, Jessica LU ; Stubbendorff, Anna LU orcid ; Marseglia, Anna LU ; Lindberg, Olof LU ; Dartora, Caroline ; Shams, Sara ; Cedres, Nira ; Kern, Silke ; Skoog, Johan LU and Rydén, Lina , et al. (2025) In Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association 21(4). p.1-16
Abstract

BACKGROUND: The impact of the sustainable EAT-Lancet planetary health diet on brain and cognitive health remains unclear. This study compared the impact of the EAT-Lancet diet with the well-established cognitive-beneficial Mediterranean diet (MeDi) in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performance among older adults.

METHODS: The study included 615 dementia-free 70-year-olds from the Swedish population-based Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort study. Dietary adherence was measured with EAT-Lancet diet and MeDi scores. Neuroimaging measures included cortical thickness, hippocampal volume, small vessel disease, and deep learning-derived brain age. Cognitive performance was assessed with a global cognitive composite... (More)

BACKGROUND: The impact of the sustainable EAT-Lancet planetary health diet on brain and cognitive health remains unclear. This study compared the impact of the EAT-Lancet diet with the well-established cognitive-beneficial Mediterranean diet (MeDi) in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performance among older adults.

METHODS: The study included 615 dementia-free 70-year-olds from the Swedish population-based Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort study. Dietary adherence was measured with EAT-Lancet diet and MeDi scores. Neuroimaging measures included cortical thickness, hippocampal volume, small vessel disease, and deep learning-derived brain age. Cognitive performance was assessed with a global cognitive composite score.

RESULTS: In multi-adjusted models, higher adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was associated with higher total mean cortical thickness, and thicker cortex in Alzheimer's disease-signature regions, while a higher adherence to the MeDi was associated with better cognitive performance.

DISCUSSION: The results indicate the beneficial effects of both the EAT-Lancet and the MeDi on brain health.

HIGHLIGHTS: There were no indications of detrimental effects of adhering to the EAT-Lancet diet. Adhering to the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet was associated with thicker cortex. Results confirm links between the Mediterranean diet and better cognitive function.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Diet, Mediterranean, Male, Female, Aged, Cognition/physiology, Neuroimaging, Biomarkers, Brain/diagnostic imaging, Sweden, Cohort Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Alzheimer Disease, Neuropsychological Tests, Diet, Healthy
in
Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association
volume
21
issue
4
article number
e70191
pages
1 - 16
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • pmid:40302043
ISSN
1552-5279
DOI
10.1002/alz.70191
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
© 2025 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.
id
f130618c-b6a2-471f-aa97-4b56273e6406
date added to LUP
2025-05-04 10:33:28
date last changed
2025-05-05 09:42:59
@article{f130618c-b6a2-471f-aa97-4b56273e6406,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: The impact of the sustainable EAT-Lancet planetary health diet on brain and cognitive health remains unclear. This study compared the impact of the EAT-Lancet diet with the well-established cognitive-beneficial Mediterranean diet (MeDi) in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performance among older adults.</p><p>METHODS: The study included 615 dementia-free 70-year-olds from the Swedish population-based Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort study. Dietary adherence was measured with EAT-Lancet diet and MeDi scores. Neuroimaging measures included cortical thickness, hippocampal volume, small vessel disease, and deep learning-derived brain age. Cognitive performance was assessed with a global cognitive composite score.</p><p>RESULTS: In multi-adjusted models, higher adherence to the EAT-Lancet diet was associated with higher total mean cortical thickness, and thicker cortex in Alzheimer's disease-signature regions, while a higher adherence to the MeDi was associated with better cognitive performance.</p><p>DISCUSSION: The results indicate the beneficial effects of both the EAT-Lancet and the MeDi on brain health.</p><p>HIGHLIGHTS: There were no indications of detrimental effects of adhering to the EAT-Lancet diet. Adhering to the EAT-Lancet planetary health diet was associated with thicker cortex. Results confirm links between the Mediterranean diet and better cognitive function.</p>}},
  author       = {{Samuelsson, Jessica and Stubbendorff, Anna and Marseglia, Anna and Lindberg, Olof and Dartora, Caroline and Shams, Sara and Cedres, Nira and Kern, Silke and Skoog, Johan and Rydén, Lina and Westman, Eric and Skoog, Ingmar}},
  issn         = {{1552-5279}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Diet, Mediterranean; Male; Female; Aged; Cognition/physiology; Neuroimaging; Biomarkers; Brain/diagnostic imaging; Sweden; Cohort Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Alzheimer Disease; Neuropsychological Tests; Diet, Healthy}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1--16}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{Alzheimer's & dementia : the journal of the Alzheimer's Association}},
  title        = {{A comparative study of the EAT-Lancet diet and the Mediterranean diet in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performance}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/alz.70191}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/alz.70191}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}