IMPACT OF HEALTHY EATING INDEX - Component-Specific Effects - Socioeconomic Status On Cognition In Older Adults

Sep 29, 2026

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The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was used to quantify diet quality through adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, scoring adequacy of key food groups and moderation of harmful components. Using NHANES 2011–2012 dietary, socioeconomic, and cognitive data, logistic and probit regression models assessed links with cognitive decline and tested socioeconomic status as a moderator. Probit results showed whole-fruit, vegetable, grain, seafood, and fatty-acid component patterns related to word recall, delayed recall, animal-fluency, and digit-symbol performance. Associations were stronger for adults below 185% of the poverty line.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Study Aim

Diet Quality and HEI Components

Data Source and Statistical Models

Key Cognitive Associations

Effect Modification by Socioeconomic Status

Conclusion

714 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.2433 IMPACT OF HEALTHY EATING INDEX, COMPONENT-SPECIFIC EFFECTS, & SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ON COGNITION IN OLDER ADULTS Samitinjaya Dhakal, and Oscar Sarasty, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States The Healthy Eating Index (HEI) quantifies diet quality by evaluating adherence to the Dietary guidelines for Americans. The index is calculated by scoring intake adequacy of key food groups (e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and moderation of harmful components (e.g. sodium, added sugars) . This study evaluates i) the predictive capacity of the HEI scores and its components with cognitive decline, ii) the moderating role of socioeconomic status in the diet-cognition relationship. We used dietary, socioeconomic, and cognitive assessment data from NHANES 2011-2012. Logistic and probit regression models were used to identify associations by adjusting for covariates. Probit model showed higher whole fruit scores associated with improved word recall, delayed recall, and increased likelihood of above-average cognitive performance. Higher scores for whole fruits, vegetables, grains, and seafood components were associated with improved animal-fluency performance, whereas higher whole grain scores increased the probability of above-average performance, and higher fatty acid component scores reduced it. Higher overall HEI scores, along with higher scores for whole fruits, whole grains, and seafood components, also positively associated with improved performance on digit-symbol-substitution-tests. Additionally, higher whole fruit and protein component scores increased the likelihood of individuals scoring above average in digit symbol scores. Furthermore, when stratified by socioeconomic status, higher-HEI scores increased the likelihood of above-average performance in animal-fluency and digit-symbol-tests for individuals below 185% of the poverty line. In conclusion, higher-HEI scores—particularly for whole fruits, grains, seafood, and protein components—are associated with enhanced cognitive performance, with individuals below 185% of the poverty threshold showing stronger association.

FAQs

How was the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) defined in the study?

HEI quantified diet quality by measuring adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, combining intake adequacy for key food groups (e.g., fruits, vegetables, whole grains) and moderation of harmful components (e.g., sodium, added sugars).

What cognitive outcomes were assessed?

The study evaluated multiple cognitive measures, including word recall, delayed recall, animal-fluency, and digit-symbol-substitution test performance, using above-average thresholds in some analyses.

How did socioeconomic status influence the diet-cognition relationship?

Stratified analyses showed that higher HEI scores increased the likelihood of above-average animal-fluency and digit-symbol test performance among individuals below 185% of the poverty line, indicating stronger associations in lower socioeconomic groups.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by Rhys