Are vegetables better food for brain?

Untuk meneliti hubungan antara perubahan fungsi kognitif dengan konsumsi
buah dan sayuran di kalangan manula, para ahli melakukan penelitian kohort
prospektif dengan 3.718 subyek berusia >65 tahun.

Rerata skor kognitif pada awal penelitian adalah 0,18 dan terjadi penurunan
sebesar 0,04 standard unit pertahun. Kelompok yang paling sedikit makan
sayur ternyata mengalami penurunan fungsi kognitif lebih cepat dibanding
kelompok yang paling banyak makan sayur. Mereka yang makan sayur 3-4 porsi
perhari mengalami penurunan skor kognitif 40% lebih lambat dibanding mereka
yang makan sayur kurang dari 1 porsi perhari. Sedangkan tingkat konsumsi
buah tidak berhubungan dengan perubahan kognitif.

Kesimpulan banyak konsumsi sayuran dapat menghambat penurunan fungsi
kognitif pada manula.

Abstract

Neurology 2006;67:1370-1376 October 24 2006 © 2006 American Academy of
Neurology.
Associations of vegetable and fruit consumption with age-related cognitive
change
M. C. Morris, ScD, D. A. Evans, MD, C. C. Tangney, PhD, J. L. Bienias, ScD
and R. S. Wilson, PhD

Objective: To examine the association between rates of cognitive change and
dietary consumption of fruits and vegetables among older persons.
Methods: The authors conducted a prospective cohort study of 3,718
participants, aged 65 years and older of the Chicago Health and Aging
Project. Participants completed a food frequency questionnaire and were
administered at least two of three cognitive assessments at baseline,
3-year, and 6-year follow-ups. Cognitive function was measured using the
average z-score of four tests: the East Boston Tests of immediate memory and
delayed recall, the Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Symbol Digit
Modalities Test.
Results: The mean cognitive score at baseline for the analyzed cohort was
0.18 (range: -3.5 to 1.6), and the overall mean change in score per year was
a decline of 0.04 standardized units. In mixed effects models adjusted for
age, sex, race, and education, compared with the rate of cognitive decline
among persons in the lowest quintile of vegetable intake (median of 0.9
servings/day), the rate for persons in the fourth quintile (median, 2.8
servings/day) was slower by 0.019 standardized units per year (p = 0.01), a
40% decrease, and by 0.018 standardized units per year (p = 0.02) for the
fifth quintile (median, 4.1 servings/day), or a 38% decrease in rates. The
association remained significant (p for linear trend = 0.02) with further
control of cardiovascular-related conditions and risk factors. Fruit
consumption was not associated with cognitive change.
Conclusion: High vegetable but not fruit consumption may be associated with
slower rate of cognitive decline with older age.

From Rush Institute for Healthy Aging (M.C.M., D.A.E., J.L.B.), Department
of Preventive Medicine (M.C.M., J.L.B.), Department of Internal Medicine
(M.C.M., D.A.E.), Department of Clinical Nutrition (C.C.T.), Rush
Alzheimer's Disease Center (R.S.W.), Department of Neurological Sciences
(R.S.W.), and Department of Psychology (R.S.W.), Rush University Medical
Center, Chicago, IL.