Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34732834›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of clinical nutrition2022

Diet quality interventions to prevent neurocognitive decline: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Laura McBean, Sharleen O'Reilly

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of clinical nutrition, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 20% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. [Modifiable risk and protective factors for dementia: an overview of established and emerging evidence].Bundesgesundheitsblatt, Gesundheitsforschung, Gesundheitsschutz · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Laura McBeanSchool of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland.
Sharleen O'ReillySchool of Agriculture and Food Science, UCD, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland. Sharleen.oreilly@ucd.ie.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3547-6634
University College Dublin · IE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine the impact of diet quality interventions on neurocognitive decline in older adults.

designFour databases were searched (Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL and PsycINFO) for randomised controlled trials involving diet quality interventions and cognitive outcomes in older adults. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Outcomes selected for meta-analysis were memory and executive function, for which standardised mean differences (SMD) were calculated. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were undertaken to explore causes of heterogeneity. Additional outcomes of global cognitive function, incident dementia, attention, language/verbal fluency, and processing speed were narratively synthesised.

resultsTwelve studies were included, investigating the Mediterranean, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension and Nordic diets. Risk of bias varied across studies. Dietary intervention had a significant effect on memory (SMD: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.39, 1.57; p = 0.001) and executive function (SMD: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.04, 3.01; p < 0.00001), although neither outcome was significant in sensitivity analyses. Heterogeneity was high (I

conclusionThe current body of evidence would suggest the effect of dietary intervention on neurocognitive decline in older adults is unclear given the considerable heterogeneity and bias present across studies. These findings should be interpreted with consideration to the limited number of studies that could be included and the large variation in study designs. Further randomised controlled trials with harmonised cognitive outcomes and assessments are needed to clarify direction of effect.

Indexed as

CognitionExecutive FunctionAgedDietHumans

Identifiers

PMID34732834
OpenAlexW3208123506

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.