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The impact of nutrition on psycho-affective status in an older Cretan population: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Background

Cognitive and mood status influence both personal and social daily activities, with great impact on life quality, particularly among the elderly population.

Aim

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the psycho-affective status concerning eating habits within an elderly population of the Chania area in Crete, Greece.

Methods

Cognitive status was assessed in 101 elderly subjects through the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and mood was evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Nutritional status was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire.

Results

Multivariable statistical analysis, after adjustment for age, marital status, education, and comorbidity, highlighted among males a positive association of the MMSE score with vegetable consumption (RR 1.18; 95%CI 1.03‒1.34) and a negative association with potato consumption (RR 0.83; 95%CI 0.72‒0.95). Conversely, among females, no statistically significant association was observed for any food. Further, among males, a protective effect on affective status was identified for chicken meat (RR 0.45; 95%CI 0.27‒0.77), fish (RR 0.41; 95%CI 0.21‒0.82), fruit (RR 0.70; 95%CI 0.52‒0.94), cereals (RR 0.67; 95%CI 0.53‒0.87), and cheese (RR 0.78; 95%CI 0.63‒0.97) consumption. Among females, the adjusted model showed a significant detrimental effect of vegetable consumption (RR 1.33; 95%CI 1.02‒1.73).

Conclusion

A predominantly vegetable-based diet—with the notable exception of fruits and legumes—was associated with better cognitive status in males, albeit not in females. A higher intake of fruit, as well as fish, chicken meat, and cheese among males was associated with a better affective status, indicating that adequate protein supply may play a role in maintaining emotional balance.

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The full database for this review is available upon request from CM.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank all participants in this study.

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

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro No. 43B, 07100, Sassari, Italy

    Chiara Marche & Alessandra Nieddu

  2. CIHEAM-Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, P.O. Box 85, 73100, Chania, Crete, Greece

    George Baourakis & Eleftherios Fakotakis

  3. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, Viale San Pietro 8, 07100, Sassari, Italy

    Alessandra Errigo & Giovanni Mario Pes

  4. Sardinia Blue Zone Longevity Observatory, 08040, Ogliastra, Italy

    Giovanni Mario Pes

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  1. Chiara Marche
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Contributions

Conceptualization, CM, AN, AE, and GMP; implementation CM, GB, and LF; methodology, CM and GMP; data curation, CM, AE and GMP; formal analysis, CM; writing—original draft preparation, CM; writing—review and editing, CM, GB, LF, AN, AE, and GMP; supervision CM and GMP; project administration, GMP.

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Correspondence to Chiara Marche.

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Marche, C., Baourakis, G., Fakotakis, E. et al. The impact of nutrition on psycho-affective status in an older Cretan population: a cross-sectional study. Eur J Nutr (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-024-03395-x

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