Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41826833›Full record

ArticleBMC geriatrics2026

Sustainable nutrition and mental health in older adults: the interplay of DASH diet quality, sustainable consumption behavior, cognitive function, and depression.

Murat Açık, Birsen Yılmaz

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC geriatrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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.

Murat AçıkFaculty of Health Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Fırat University, Elazığ, Türkiye. macik@firat.edu.tr.ORCID 0000-0002-3104-6306
Birsen YılmazDepartment of Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad, India. birsenyilmaz@tifrh.res.in.ORCID 0000-0002-4866-2818

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND &

objectiveThe global aging trend highlights the need for effective strategies to prevent cognitive impairment and depression. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of DASH diet quality in the association between sustainable dietary behaviors, cognitive function, and depressive symptoms among older adults.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Firat University Hospital, involving 773 older adults. Data collection included structured questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, DASH diet adherence (DASH Diet Quality Scale), sustainable nutritional behavior (Sustainable Consumption Behavior-Nutrition Scale, SCBN), depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale-15, GDS-15), and cognitive performance (Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, SMMSE). Anthropometric measurements were also obtained. Statistical methods involved hierarchical regression analyses, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine direct and indirect relationships among study variables.

resultsCorrelation analyses indicated negative associations between depression and both DASH diet (r= -0.378, p < 0.001) and sustainable nutritional behaviors (SCBN; r= -0.277, p < 0.001). Cognitive function positively correlated with DASH (r = 0.277, p < 0.001) and SCBN scores (r = 0.295, p < 0.001). Hierarchical regression revealed that better adherence to DASH diet (β=-0.13, p < 0.001) and higher SCBN scores (β=-0.12, p < 0.001) predicted lower depression scores, whereas SCBN positively predicted cognitive function (β = 0.03, p < 0.001). Structural equation modeling confirmed that the DASH diet partly explained the association between sustainable nutrition and both depression (indirect β=-0.02, p < 0.001) and cognitive function (indirect β = 0.01, p < 0.001).

conclusionsThe study highlighted the beneficial role of DASH diet adherence and sustainable nutritional practices in mitigating depressive symptoms and supporting cognitive function in older adults. These dietary patterns could represent crucial components of preventive strategies for healthy aging. Further longitudinal research using objective dietary assessments is needed to clarify causal relationships.

Indexed as

CognitionDepressionDietary Approaches To Stop HypertensionFeeding BehaviorMental HealthNutritional StatusAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansMaleDASH dietMental healthOlder adultsSustainable nutrition

Identifiers

PMID41826833
PMCPMC13101381

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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.