JAMA Neurol

Six healthy dietary patterns associated with better cognitive function

February 25, 2026

A prospective cohort study of 159,347 U.S. health professionals found that higher adherence to each of the six dietary patterns examined was associated with progressively lower subjective cognitive decline risk, with the magnitude of association varying across diets as follows:

• Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet: risk ratio [RR], 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57–0.62
• Healthful Plant‑Based Diet Index (hPDI): RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.65–0.85
• Reversed Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (rEDIH): RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.73–0.80
• Planetary Health Diet Index (PHDI): RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.75–0.86
• Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI‑2010): RR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.80–0.89
• Reversed Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (rEDIP): RR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.85–0.93

Stronger adherence to the DASH diet during ages 45 to 54 was most strongly associated with reduced subjective cognitive decline and was also associated with better objective global cognition. Key dietary components tied to improved cognition included higher vegetable and fish intake and reduced consumption of red and processed meats.

Clinical takeaway: Encourage patients—especially those in midlife—to adopt dietary patterns such as DASH that emphasize vegetables, fish, and reduced processed meat intake, as these may help lower perceived cognitive decline and support better long‑term cognitive health.

Source:

Chen H, et al. (2026, February 23). JAMA Neurol. Dietary Patterns and Indicators of Cognitive Function. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41729538/