Relationship between dietary pattern and cognitive function in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective To analyse the relationships between dietary patterns and cognitive function in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods Patients with T2DM completed a 3-day dietary record and Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE). Dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis. Results The study included 73 patients and identified five dietary patterns, one of which was characterized by high loading for vegetables and fish. A higher consumption of vegetables and fish was significantly associated with improved MMSE score (unadjusted model, model adjusted for age and sex, and model adjusted for age, sex, education, diabetic nephropathy and alcohol consumption), and decreased prevalence of suspected mild dementia (unadjusted model, model adjusted for age and sex). Conclusions A high score in the vegetables and fish dietary pattern was associated with high MMSE score and low prevalence of suspected mild dementia in elderly patients with T2DM.