Does the MIND diet work better when someone else does the cooking?
STUDY: Choi S et al, J Nutr 2026
STUDY TYPE: Cluster-randomized controlled trial
FUNDING: Ourhome Co. (meal supplier), Rowan Inc. (app developer), Korean government grants
Background
The MIND diet is a Mediterranean-style approach developed for brain health. It favors leafy greens, berries, nuts, beans, extra virgin olive oil, and fish. It treats depression in randomized trials, but studies in cognition have been mixed. This trial tested what happens when patients are served the food directly, eliminating the variable of adherence.
The Study
- 98 adults (average age 83) with cognitive impairment at six Korean elder care centers; 80 completed. Most had mild dementia.
- Randomized by center to either 1) MIND diet 5 days a week, 2) MIND diet plus tablet-based cognitive training, or 3) usual care over 12 weeks.
- Outcomes: Cognition scale (K-MMSE2), daily functioning, and Dementia severity scale (CDR).
Results
Cognition improved with the MIND diet (+1 pt on MMSE, a 30 point scale), and even more with the addition of cognitive training (+3.4 points). In contrast, it worsened in usual care (-1 point), and the differences were statistically significant.
Daily functioning and quality of life improved with both diets and worsened in controls. Dementia severity ratings didn’t change.
Limitations
- Patients and raters weren’t blinded.
- The combined arm came from one center, and analyses ignored clustering.
- A third of controls dropped out; only completers were analyzed.
- The combined group started lowest, inviting regression to the mean.
- The meal and cognitive training-app companies helped fund the study.
Practice Implications
- This is a small difference in a field with mixed data, so I’ll await more studies before concluding this diet improves cognition.
- The data for depression is more robust, and this free e-book gets you started.
—Chris Aiken, MD
Director, Psych Partners
Editor in Chief, Carlat Psychiatry Report
