Relationships between dietary intake and cognitive function level in Korean elderly people

We examined the relationship between dietary intake and cognitive performan ce in Korean elderly people. Data for dietary intake, anthropometric measur ements and cognitive function tests were collected and the relationships of the variables were analyzed. A random sample of 210 men and 239 women in K orea, aged 60 and over, was selected. Subjects were free-living elderly peo ple who had not experienced major cognitive function impairment. Main outco me measures, 24h dietary recall method, food behaviour variables, anthropom etrics indices, health variables, and Kwon's Mini-Mental State Examination for Koreans (MMSE-K) for cognitive function teal. The prevalence rate of po or cognitive function (MMSE-K score less than or equal to 19) of Korean eld erly was 22.3%. women with poor cognitive function had a higher rate (31.0% ) than that in men (12.3%). Cognitive ability was related negatively with a ge and positively with school education level. Female subjects of poor cogn itive function had significantly lower intakes of total amount of foods, ce reals, vegetables, fruits, milk, spices, and also, energy, protein, fat, ca rbohydrate, Ca, P, Fe, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin than thos e of the normal cognitive score (greater than or equal to 24) group (P < 0. 05). Male subjects of poor cognitive function had significantly lower intak es of fruits, fiber, and vitamin C than the normal subjects (P < 0.05). The MMSE-K score of female subjects showed a significant positive correlation with total amount of foods, cereals, beans, fruits, milk, oil, spices, and energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, Ca, Fe, P, riboflavin and niacin intake s. The consumption of adequate nutrients, by taking sufficient amounts and variety of foods, may be important in maintaining adequate cognitive functi on in elderly Koreans.