MIND diet and dementia: three-year trial found no clear short-term benefit

A randomized three-year trial compared the MIND diet with a control weight-loss approach and found no significant differences in cognitive tests or MRI measures; both groups lost about 11 pounds and showed improved diet quality.

The MIND diet combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets and was developed specifically to support brain health. A recent randomized controlled trial tested the MIND diet against a control weight-loss approach over three years in older adults at higher risk for dementia. Researchers measured cognitive performance and brain structure using MRI. The trial did not find significant differences between the two groups on those measures. Key facts: - The trial included two groups totaling more than 600 participants, all older adults without cognitive impairment but with a family history of dementia. - The study lasted three years and enrolled people who were at least somewhat overweight and reported suboptimal diets at baseline. - One group followed the MIND diet and received coaching that included weight-loss goals; the other group received portion-control weight-loss coaching without specific dietary guidelines. - At the end of the trial both groups showed similar improvements in cognitive test scores, similar MRI measures of brain health, and comparable weight loss (about 11 pounds). - Investigators reported that participants in the control group also began eating higher-quality foods and fewer ultra-processed items during the study, which may have reduced differences between groups. Summary: In this three-year randomized trial, the MIND diet did not show measurable cognitive or MRI advantages compared with a control weight-loss approach in the study population. Longer-term observational studies have reported associations between closer adherence to the MIND pattern and lower dementia risk, but randomized evidence over longer periods remains limited. Undetermined at this time whether longer or different trials would show distinct benefits.