Study Links Diet, Waist-To-Hip Ratio With Cognitive Function

New Delhi: The quality of diet and waist-to-hip ratio in midlife are associated with brain connectivity and cognitive performance in later life, according to a study.

Researchers from Oxford University and University College London in the UK found that people in midlife engaging in healthy eating had an increased hippocampal functional connectivity to the occipital lobe and cerebellum; as well as a better white matter.

These improved working memory, executive function, and overall cognitive performance in middle-aged adults.

On the other hand, those with higher waist-to-hip ratio in midlife had a widespread decrease in white matter integrity, leading to implications in memory and executive function.

Reduced fractional anisotropy in these regions was linked to poorer cognitive performance.

“Healthier diets and lower waist-to-hip ratio during midlife correlate with improved brain health in older age,” said the researchers in the study, published in JAMA Network Open.

Global shifts in dietary habits have contributed to rising rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, all of which are linked to an increased risk of dementia. Research into the relationship between diet, metabolic health, and brain function has primarily focused on individual nutrients, with fewer studies assessing overall diet quality and body fat distribution over extended periods.

Previous studies have suggested that midlife is a critical window for cognitive health interventions, yet long-term study evidence on diet and brain connectivity remains limited.