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Impact of vegetarianism on cognition and neuropsychological status among urban community-dwelling adults in Telangana, South India: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Purpose

The potential benefits of vegetarian diets in reducing cognitive impairment have garnered attention due to existing mixed results; hence, our study aims to examine the impact of vegetarianism on cognitive function and neuropsychological status among urban community-dwelling adults from Telangana.

Methods

The dietary patterns were self-reported and dietary data collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire while cognitive function was assessed using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21) questionnaire for psychological measures. Adults (N = 304) aged 40 years and above, who followed either a vegetarian or non-vegetarian diet for at least 6 months prior to data collection, scored MMSE ≥ 19 indicating mild cognitive impairment, and were recruited using convenience sampling.

Results

Among the participants, vegetarians (n = 155) exhibited significantly better mood states compared to non-vegetarians (n = 149), as indicated by lower scores on the DASS subscales for depression (10.0 ± 0.06 vs. 17.0 ± 0.07, p =  < 0.001), anxiety (4.0 ± 0.05 vs. 6.0 ± 0.07, p = 0.005), and stress (8.0 ± 0.02 vs. 10.0 ± 0.05, p = 0.007). Vegetarians also demonstrated superior cognitive functioning compared to non-vegetarians, as indicated by higher MMSE scores (26.0 ± 0.04 vs. 24.0 ± 0.03, p =  < 0.001). MMSE scores were inversely correlated with depression, anxiety, and stress for vegetarians (ρ = − 0.371, p = 0.000; ρ = − 0.027, p = 0.734; and ρ = − 0.105, p = 0.914), respectively. Similar to the vegetarians group, MMSE scores were negatively correlated with depression (ρ = − 0.059), but the correlation is not significant.

Conclusion

Vegetarianism exerted a positive influence on the cognitive and neuropsychological status of the investigated population. Nevertheless, additional research is required to comprehend the underlying mechanisms that elucidate the long-term effects of vegetarianism and plant-based nutritional interventions on brain health.

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Data availability

The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The data cannot be accessed publicly due to specific limitations that could compromise the confidentiality and privacy of the participants.

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Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude for the assistance and support provided by Indian Council of Cultural Research (ICCR) and University of Hyderabad, an Institution of Eminence (IoE) for all the logistical assistance and infrastructure facility to carry out the study, and we extend our since acknowledgements to Ranga Reddy community for participation in data collection. The study is part of the thesis conducted in School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad in India.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medical Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

    Keotshepile Precious Bojang & Varalakshmi Manchana

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  1. Keotshepile Precious Bojang
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  2. Varalakshmi Manchana
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Contributions

BKP helped in conceptualization of the study, development of the study design, data collection and analysis, and original draft preparation. MVL helped in study conceptualization, methodology design, revision of data analysis, manuscript editing and reviewing, and supervision. All authors were responsible for manuscript revision and also gave their approval for the final manuscript as submitted and have agreed to take responsibility for all aspects of the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Varalakshmi Manchana.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Ethical approval

This study was conducted according to the guidelines laid down in the Declaration of Helsinki, and all procedures involving research study participants were approved by the University of Hyderabad Institutional Ethics Committee (UH/IEC/2022/390) dated November 30, 2022. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants after explaining the study purpose and ensuring privacy and confidentiality.

Appendix

Appendix

See Tables 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 here.

Table 1 Summary of the sociodemographic characteristics of study participants (n = 304)
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Table 2 Individual nutrient composition comparison between vegetarians and non-vegetarians
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Table 3 Characterization of selected basic demographic details by diet group
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Table 4 MMSE and DASS scores summary by diet group
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Table 5 Group correlation analysis between mean MMSE and DASS-21 scores (depression, anxiety, and stress) using Spearman’s correlation (ρ)
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Bojang, K.P., Manchana, V. Impact of vegetarianism on cognition and neuropsychological status among urban community-dwelling adults in Telangana, South India: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Nutr (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-024-03328-8

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