Food preferences significantly influence dietary choices, yet understanding natural dietary patterns in populations remains limited. Here we identifiy

Associations of dietary patterns with brain health from behavioral, neuroimaging, biochemical and genetic analyses

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2024-04-27 22:30:06

Food preferences significantly influence dietary choices, yet understanding natural dietary patterns in populations remains limited. Here we identifiy four dietary subtypes by applying data-driven approaches to food-liking data from 181,990 UK Biobank participants: ‘starch-free or reduced-starch’ (subtype 1), ‘vegetarian’ (subtype 2), ‘high protein and low fiber’ (subtype 3) and ‘balanced’ (subtype 4). These subtypes varied in diverse brain health domains. The individuals with a balanced diet demonstrated better mental health and superior cognitive functions relative to other three subtypes. Compared with subtype 4, subtype 3 displayed lower gray matter volumes in regions such as the postcentral gyrus, while subtype 2 showed higher volumes in thalamus and precuneus. Genome-wide association analyses identified 16 genes different between subtype 3 and subtype 4, enriched in biological processes related to mental health and cognition. These findings provide new insights into naturally developed dietary patterns, highlighting the importance of a balanced diet for brain health.

Food-liking is a complex trait that reflects the hedonic response to food for individuals1 and is considered to be the most influential factor driving food choices and intake2. With an abundance of food choices available worldwide, people naturally develop diverse dietary patterns. Recently, growing evidence has highlighted that the profound impact of dietary patterns on health, including chronic medical diseases, such as cardiovascular disease3, type 2 diabetes4, metabolic syndrome5 and cancer6, as well as mental health and/or cognitive impairments7,8,9,10, such as major depression disorders and anxiety. Understanding how diet preferences affect health, especially brain health, is critical for developing targeted dietary interventions to promote the consumption of nourishing foods and improve the landscape of brain health.