Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated with Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women.
J Nutr. 2020 Jul 01; 150(7):1871-1879.JN

Abstract

BACKGROUND

A protective association of dietary carotenoids with cognitive function has been suggested, but most studies have been relatively small with limited periods of follow-up.

OBJECTIVES

We examined prospectively long-term intakes of carotenoids in relation to subjective cognitive function (SCF), a self-reported, validated indicator of cognitive dysfunction.

METHODS

Among 49,493 female registered nurses with a mean age of 48 y in 1984, we used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the ORs and 95% CIs relating intakes of carotenoids to self-reported SCF in 2012 and 2014. Mean intakes of carotenoids were calculated from 7 repeated FFQs collected in 1984, 1986, and every 4 y afterwards until 2006. Self-reported SCF was assessed by a 7-item questionnaire on changes in memory and cognition; validity was supported by strong associations with Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype and concurrent cognitive function and cognitive decline measured by telephone-based neuropsychological tests. The mean values of scores assessed in 2012 and 2014 were categorized as "good" (0 points, 40.8%), "moderate" (0.5-2.5 points, 46.9%), and "poor" (3-7 points, 12.3%).

RESULTS

Higher intake of total carotenoids was associated with substantially lower odds of moderate or poor cognitive function after controlling for other dietary and nondietary risk factors and total energy intake. Comparing the top with the bottom quintile of total carotenoids, the multivariable ORs were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.93; P-trend < 0.001) for moderate SCF and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.60, 0.75; P-trend < 0.001) for poor SCF. This lower OR was also seen for carotenoids consumed 28 y before SCF assessment. Similar associations were found for total β-carotene, dietary β-carotene, α-carotene, lycopene, lutein + zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. The significant associations for β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein + zeaxanthin persisted after mutual adjustment for each other.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support a long-term beneficial role of carotenoid consumption on cognitive function in women.

Links

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Authors+Show Affiliations

Yuan C

Department of Big Data and Health Science, School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Fondell E

Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Ascherio A

Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.

Okereke OI

Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Grodstein F

Hofman A

Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Willett WC

MeSH

AgedAgingCarotenoidsCognitionDietFemaleHumansMiddle AgedNeuropsychological TestsProspective StudiesRisk FactorsSurveys and Questionnaires

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Language

eng

PubMed ID

32386230

Citation

Yuan, Changzheng, et al. "Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated With Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women." The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 150, no. 7, 2020, pp. 1871-1879.

Yuan C, Fondell E, Ascherio A, et al. Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated with Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women. J Nutr. 2020;150(7):1871-1879.

Yuan, C., Fondell, E., Ascherio, A., Okereke, O. I., Grodstein, F., Hofman, A., & Willett, W. C. (2020). Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated with Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women. The Journal of Nutrition, 150(7), 1871-1879. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa087

Yuan C, et al. Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated With Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women. J Nutr. 2020 Jul 1;150(7):1871-1879. PubMed PMID: 32386230.

* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case

TY - JOUR T1 - Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated with Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women. AU - Yuan,Changzheng, AU - Fondell,Elinor, AU - Ascherio,Alberto, AU - Okereke,Olivia I, AU - Grodstein,Francine, AU - Hofman,Albert, AU - Willett,Walter C, PY - 2019/7/30/received PY - 2019/11/20/revised PY - 2020/3/11/accepted PY - 2020/5/10/pubmed PY - 2020/11/18/medline PY - 2020/5/10/entrez PY - 2021/7/1/pmc-release KW - age-related cognitive function KW - dietary carotenoids KW - lutein + zeaxanthin KW - lycopene KW - prospective study KW - subjective cognitive function KW - α-carotene KW - β-carotene KW - β-cryptoxanthin SP - 1871 EP - 1879 JF - The Journal of nutrition JO - J Nutr VL - 150 IS - 7 N2 - BACKGROUND: A protective association of dietary carotenoids with cognitive function has been suggested, but most studies have been relatively small with limited periods of follow-up. OBJECTIVES: We examined prospectively long-term intakes of carotenoids in relation to subjective cognitive function (SCF), a self-reported, validated indicator of cognitive dysfunction. METHODS: Among 49,493 female registered nurses with a mean age of 48 y in 1984, we used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the ORs and 95% CIs relating intakes of carotenoids to self-reported SCF in 2012 and 2014. Mean intakes of carotenoids were calculated from 7 repeated FFQs collected in 1984, 1986, and every 4 y afterwards until 2006. Self-reported SCF was assessed by a 7-item questionnaire on changes in memory and cognition; validity was supported by strong associations with Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype and concurrent cognitive function and cognitive decline measured by telephone-based neuropsychological tests. The mean values of scores assessed in 2012 and 2014 were categorized as "good" (0 points, 40.8%), "moderate" (0.5-2.5 points, 46.9%), and "poor" (3-7 points, 12.3%). RESULTS: Higher intake of total carotenoids was associated with substantially lower odds of moderate or poor cognitive function after controlling for other dietary and nondietary risk factors and total energy intake. Comparing the top with the bottom quintile of total carotenoids, the multivariable ORs were 0.86 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.93; P-trend < 0.001) for moderate SCF and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.60, 0.75; P-trend < 0.001) for poor SCF. This lower OR was also seen for carotenoids consumed 28 y before SCF assessment. Similar associations were found for total β-carotene, dietary β-carotene, α-carotene, lycopene, lutein + zeaxanthin, and β-cryptoxanthin. The significant associations for β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein + zeaxanthin persisted after mutual adjustment for each other. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a long-term beneficial role of carotenoid consumption on cognitive function in women. SN - 1541-6100 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/32386230/full_citation DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -

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Long-Term Intake of Dietary Carotenoids Is Positively Associated with Late-Life Subjective Cognitive Function in a Prospective Study in US Women.J Nutr. 2020 Jul 01; 150(7):1871-1879.JN