Dietary carotenoids and cognitive function among US adults, NHANES 2011–2014

Abstract

Objectives: Dietary carotenoids may limit neuronal damage from free radicals, potentially serving as a modifiable risk factor for cognitive decline. We examined intake of lutein and zeaxanthin (L and Z) in relation to cognitive performance among 2011–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants aged ≥60 years.

Methods: L and Z intake from foods and supplements was estimated from two non-consecutive 24-hour diet recalls. Outcomes included the CERAD Word Learning sub-test score, Animal Fluency test score, and Digit Symbol Substitution test score. Regression models were adjusted for survey design variables, year, sex, age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, family income, education, alcohol, and smoking.

Results: Among the 2796 participants, higher dietary intake of L and Z was associated with higher score on each test. For example, the highest quartile of L and Z intake was associated with a 2.52 point increase (SE=0.86 points, P=0.01) on the digit symbol score test, compared with the lowest quartile. There were differences by race/ethnicity, with positive associations generally stronger for Black compared to white participants.

Discussion: Further research from longitudinal studies is needed, but increasing L and Z intake may help to prevent or slow cognitive decline.

Keywords:

• Lutein
• Zeaxanthin
• NHANES
• Cognition

Notes

1 SAS/STAT software, Version 9.3 of the SAS System for Windows. Copyright © 2013 Institute Inc. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA

Additional information

Funding

This work is supported by the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, by an unrestricted grant to the Department from Research to Prevent Blindness, and by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health under grant numbers NIH/NIA R01 AG054059 and P50 AG033514. This is GRECC Manuscript number: 004-2018.