Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study
IntroductionThis study examines the effects of a structured nutritional counseling intervention for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) via synchronized online courses conducted bi-weekly over six months.MethodsThis work presents a secondary analysis of the BrainFit-Nutrition study, whi...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-04-01
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| author | Etienne Hanslian Etienne Hanslian Melanie Dell’Oro Julia K. Schiele Julia K. Schiele Farid I. Kandil Farid I. Kandil Dzenita Hasanbasic Dzenita Hasanbasic Cirus Henn Elmar Graessel Julia-Sophia Scheuermann Petra Scheerbaum Andreas Michalsen Andreas Michalsen Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler |
| author_facet | Etienne Hanslian Etienne Hanslian Melanie Dell’Oro Julia K. Schiele Julia K. Schiele Farid I. Kandil Farid I. Kandil Dzenita Hasanbasic Dzenita Hasanbasic Cirus Henn Elmar Graessel Julia-Sophia Scheuermann Petra Scheerbaum Andreas Michalsen Andreas Michalsen Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler |
| author_sort | Etienne Hanslian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionThis study examines the effects of a structured nutritional counseling intervention for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) via synchronized online courses conducted bi-weekly over six months.MethodsThis work presents a secondary analysis of the BrainFit-Nutrition study, which explored the impacts of both 1) dietary counseling interventions (comparing a Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet with a diet based on the German Nutrition Association guidelines or Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung, DGE) and 2) standardized versus individualized computer-based cognitive training, within a 2x2 factorial randomized controlled trial design for participants with MCI. While the primary outcome of the BrainFit-Nutrition study assessed the impacts of diet and cognitive training on cognitive performance, this secondary data analysis focuses on dietary habits and their changes over time. Dietary behaviors in 261 participants (52.2% female), aged between 60 and 86 years, were monitored using food frequency questionnaires at baseline (t0), post-intervention (t6), and at a 12-months follow-up (t12). Short-term (t6) and long-term (t12) dietary pattern effects were analyzed by comparing consumption frequencies across various food categories between the dietary groups, employing ANCOVAs with baseline values (t0) as covariates for exploratory analysis.ResultsThroughout the intervention period, most participants in both groups maintained an omnivorous diet, with minimal shifts towards pescatarian, ovolacto-vegetarian, and vegan diets, especially in the WFPB group, which saw a minor increase in vegan and ovolacto-vegetarian participants by the end of the study. Across both dietary groups, vegetable, fruit, and whole grain consumption remained steady, with no notable intergroup differences. A decrease in meat, fish, and egg consumption was observed in both groups, with a more marked reduction in the WFPB group.DiscussionThese findings suggest that while targeted dietary interventions can foster healthier dietary patterns among MCI patients, the type of dietary choices may be less impactful for individuals with MCI than participation in dietary interventions in general. Further prospective research is warranted to clarify the potential benefits of dietary adjustments on cognitive health and to refine dietary guidance tailored to this specific population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-338cdca94dbd429ea91f61da2e11c14f |
| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-338cdca94dbd429ea91f61da2e11c14f2025-08-20T03:53:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2025-04-011210.3389/fnut.2025.15369391536939Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition studyEtienne Hanslian0Etienne Hanslian1Melanie Dell’Oro2Julia K. Schiele3Julia K. Schiele4Farid I. Kandil5Farid I. Kandil6Dzenita Hasanbasic7Dzenita Hasanbasic8Cirus Henn9Elmar Graessel10Julia-Sophia Scheuermann11Petra Scheerbaum12Andreas Michalsen13Andreas Michalsen14Michael Jeitler15Michael Jeitler16Michael Jeitler17Michael Jeitler18Christian S. Kessler19Christian S. Kessler20Christian S. Kessler21Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyCharité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyBrandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Neuruppin, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyCenter for Health Service Research in Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, GermanyCenter for Health Service Research in Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, GermanyCenter for Health Service Research in Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Uniklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyInstitute for General Practice and Interprofessional Care, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, GermanyRobert Bosch Center for Integrative Medicine and Health, Bosch Health Campus, Stuttgart, GermanyInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Krankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, GermanyCharité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, GermanyIntroductionThis study examines the effects of a structured nutritional counseling intervention for individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) via synchronized online courses conducted bi-weekly over six months.MethodsThis work presents a secondary analysis of the BrainFit-Nutrition study, which explored the impacts of both 1) dietary counseling interventions (comparing a Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB) diet with a diet based on the German Nutrition Association guidelines or Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung, DGE) and 2) standardized versus individualized computer-based cognitive training, within a 2x2 factorial randomized controlled trial design for participants with MCI. While the primary outcome of the BrainFit-Nutrition study assessed the impacts of diet and cognitive training on cognitive performance, this secondary data analysis focuses on dietary habits and their changes over time. Dietary behaviors in 261 participants (52.2% female), aged between 60 and 86 years, were monitored using food frequency questionnaires at baseline (t0), post-intervention (t6), and at a 12-months follow-up (t12). Short-term (t6) and long-term (t12) dietary pattern effects were analyzed by comparing consumption frequencies across various food categories between the dietary groups, employing ANCOVAs with baseline values (t0) as covariates for exploratory analysis.ResultsThroughout the intervention period, most participants in both groups maintained an omnivorous diet, with minimal shifts towards pescatarian, ovolacto-vegetarian, and vegan diets, especially in the WFPB group, which saw a minor increase in vegan and ovolacto-vegetarian participants by the end of the study. Across both dietary groups, vegetable, fruit, and whole grain consumption remained steady, with no notable intergroup differences. A decrease in meat, fish, and egg consumption was observed in both groups, with a more marked reduction in the WFPB group.DiscussionThese findings suggest that while targeted dietary interventions can foster healthier dietary patterns among MCI patients, the type of dietary choices may be less impactful for individuals with MCI than participation in dietary interventions in general. Further prospective research is warranted to clarify the potential benefits of dietary adjustments on cognitive health and to refine dietary guidance tailored to this specific population.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1536939/fullwhole food plant-based dietplanetary health dietvegetarianvegandietary patternscognitive health |
| spellingShingle | Etienne Hanslian Etienne Hanslian Melanie Dell’Oro Julia K. Schiele Julia K. Schiele Farid I. Kandil Farid I. Kandil Dzenita Hasanbasic Dzenita Hasanbasic Cirus Henn Elmar Graessel Julia-Sophia Scheuermann Petra Scheerbaum Andreas Michalsen Andreas Michalsen Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Michael Jeitler Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler Christian S. Kessler Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study Frontiers in Nutrition whole food plant-based diet planetary health diet vegetarian vegan dietary patterns cognitive health |
| title | Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study |
| title_full | Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study |
| title_fullStr | Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study |
| title_short | Effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment: insights from the BrainFit-Nutrition study |
| title_sort | effects of nutritional counseling on dietary patterns in patients with mild cognitive impairment insights from the brainfit nutrition study |
| topic | whole food plant-based diet planetary health diet vegetarian vegan dietary patterns cognitive health |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1536939/full |
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