The relationship between dietary complexity and cognitive function in Guangxi, China: A cross-sectional study

Background and Objectives: The composition of the human diet is complex and diverse, and the relationship between dietary composition and cognitive decline has not been adequately studied. Therefore, this study explored the possible association between food items and the risk of cognitive impairment.Methods and Study Design: This cross-sectional study was based on an ecological longevity cohort and included 2881 participants (1086 men and 1795 women) aged >= 30 years between December 2018 and November 2019. The association between food items and the risk of cognitive impairment was explored using the Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) learning model.Results: Finally, 2881 participants (1086 men and 1795 women) were included. In all participants, the multivariable logistic analysis showed that fresh fruit consumption was associated with cognitive function (OR=0.999, 95% CI: 0.998-0.999, p=0.021). Using the BKMR model, none of the 18 food items were significantly correlated with cognitive function among women. In men, when the other food items were fixed at the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile values (P25, estimate=-0.239; P50, estimate=-0.210; P75, estimate=0.158), there was a negative correlation between fresh fruit consumption and the predicted risk of cognitive function disorders.Conclusions: Men displayed a negative association between fresh fruit consumption and the risk of cognitive function disorders, but this was not apparent among women.