MIND Diet for Brain and Heart Health
Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
Overseen byNaiman Khan, PhD
Age: 18 - 65
Sex: Any
Travel: May Be Covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Academic
Recruiting
Sponsor: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Must not be taking: Oral hypoglycemics, Insulin
Disqualifiers: Liver disease, Gastrointestinal disease, Neurological disease, others
No Placebo Group
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if increasing adherence to a Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet pattern improves brain and heart health relative to a healthy control diet in middle-aged adults. Our research team will evaluate three different groups: the first group will be chosen using a predictive analytics model that predicts who will benefit most from the MIND diet, the second group will follow the MIND diet without being pre-selected, and the third group will eat a standard healthy diet to serve as a comparison.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
Does the MIND diet improve cognitive performance and heart health relative to a control diet? How does the health impact of the MIND diet in participants pre-identified through predictive analytics compare to those without such pre-selection? Which of the three groups - predictive analytics selected MIND diet group, standard MIND diet group, or healthy control - demonstrate the most significant improvements in cognitive and cardiovascular health over the course of the trial?
Participants will:
Consume one meal that follows the MIND diet or a control meal every day for 3 months. Visit the lab before and after the 3 months of meals for tests. Keep a record of the food they eat during the study.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are taking oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin. It might be best to discuss your specific medications with the trial coordinators.
What data supports the effectiveness of the MIND Diet treatment for brain and heart health?
Research shows that the MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, is linked to better brain function and a lower risk of dementia. It also appears to reduce the risk of death from heart-related issues in people with heart disease.
12345Is the MIND diet safe for humans?
The MIND diet, which combines elements of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, has been studied for its potential benefits on brain health and cognitive performance. While specific safety data is limited, these diets are generally considered safe and are associated with positive health outcomes.
12367How is the MIND Diet treatment different from other treatments for brain and heart health?
The MIND Diet is unique because it combines elements of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, specifically focusing on foods that may reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. Unlike other treatments, it emphasizes a dietary approach to potentially protect brain health and improve cognitive performance.
12367Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for middle-aged adults interested in improving brain and heart health through diet. Participants should be willing to consume a specific meal daily for 3 months and visit the lab for tests. There's no mention of specific exclusions, so generally healthy individuals may apply.Inclusion Criteria
Able to consume the study meals
20/20 or corrected vision
No food allergies or intolerances
+8 more
Exclusion Criteria
Food allergies or intolerances
Unable to consume the study meals
Non-consent of participant
+9 more
Trial Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
2-4 weeks
Treatment
Participants consume one meal that follows the MIND diet or a control meal every day for 3 months. They also complete online forms and attend 4 in-person lab visits for tests.
12 weeks
4 visits (in-person)
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment
4 weeks
Participant Groups
The OPTIMAL study is testing whether the MIND diet can boost cognitive performance and heart health compared to a standard healthy diet. It involves three groups: one selected by predictive analytics, another following the MIND diet without selection, and a control group on a regular healthy diet.
3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Standard MIND dietExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants in the active MIND diet group will be asked to consume one ready-to-eat meal per day from Daily Harvest® meal delivery service. This will be a standard treatment arm without prior selection through predictive analytics. The treatment meals will follow MIND diet guidelines and include leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, berries, and extra virgin olive oil.
Group II: Predictive Analytics informed MIND DietExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants in the active MIND diet group informed by predictive analytics will be pre-identified based on the results of a machine learning model that predicts who will most likely benefit from the MIND diet. The participants in this group will be asked to consume one ready-to-eat meal per day from Daily Harvest® meal delivery service. The treatment meals will follow MIND diet guidelines and include leafy green vegetables, nuts, legumes, whole grains, berries, and extra virgin olive oil.
Group III: Control DietActive Control1 Intervention
Participants in the control diet group will be asked to consume one ready-to-eat meal per day from Daily Harvest® meal delivery service. The Control group will receive daily meals that are isocaloric with the active/experimental meals but will follow a general diet based on the average American diet and Dietary Guidelines for Americans (i.e., vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, and unsaturated fats).
Find a Clinic Near You
Research Locations NearbySelect from list below to view details:
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbana, IL
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Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignLead Sponsor
References
Trial of the MIND Diet for Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Older Persons. [2023]Findings from observational studies suggest that dietary patterns may offer protective benefits against cognitive decline, but data from clinical trials are limited. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, known as the MIND diet, is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, with modifications to include foods that have been putatively associated with a decreased risk of dementia.
MIND Diet Adherence Might be Associated with a Reduced Odds of Multiple Sclerosis: Results from a Case-Control Study. [2022]The Mediterranean Dietary Approaches to the Stop Hypertension (DASH) Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has been shown to have beneficial neuroprotective effects. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the link between the MIND diet adherence and multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative neurological illness.
Cognitive performance in relation to MIND and MEPA III dietary pattern accordance of NHANES participants. [2023]There is growing evidence that Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) and Mediterranean-like diets are associated with better cognitive performance.
Impact of the MIND Diet on Cognition in Individuals with Dementia. [2023]Alzheimer's disease (AD) plagues 6.5 million Americans 65+, yet treatments are lacking. The Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has been developed to address the expansive impact of dementias on the general public. This systematic review evaluated the impact of the MIND diet on cognition in those with pathologies across the dementia spectrum.
Better adherence to the MIND diet is associated with lower risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular death in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or stroke: a cohort study from NHANES analysis. [2023]The Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay (MIND) diet has been evaluated as a brain-protective diet pattern that contributes to better cognitive performance and attenuates dementia. Cardioprotective effects of the MIND diet have been demonstrated in the primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), however, there is no exploration in patients with ASCVD. In this prospective cohort study, 943 patients with ASCVD or stroke from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2003 to 2006 were enrolled and divided into three groups according to the MIND diet scores (≤7.0, 7.5-8.0, and ≥8.5). Compared with patients with low MIND diet scores (≤7.0), patients with better adherence to the MIND diet presented a significantly lower risk of all-cause and CV death, as results showed that the hazard ratio [HR] and 95% confidence interval [CI] were 1.09 (0.78, 1.52) in the group of 7.5-8.0, 0.66 (0.50, 0.87) in the group of ≥8.5 for all-cause mortality (P trend = 0.002); 0.70 (0.42, 1.17) in the group of 7.5-8.0 and 0.52 (0.35, 0.75) in the group of ≥8.5 for CV mortality (P for trend < 0.001). Besides, per one-score increase in the MIND diet score was associated with a 10% (HR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82, 0.99) lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 16% (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.97) lower risk of CV mortality in these patients. In conclusion, this study, for the first time, revealed that better adherence to the MIND diet was associated with improved outcomes in patients with ASCVD.
Adherence to the MIND diet is associated with 12-year all-cause mortality in older adults. [2022]To prospectively evaluate the association of three dietary patterns: the MIND (Mediterranean-DASH diet intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet; a Mediterranean-type diet and a traditional diet, with all-cause mortality over a 12-year period in an older sample.
Mind Diet Adherence and Cognitive Performance in the Framingham Heart Study. [2021]Adherence to the Mediterranean-DASH for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet has previously been associated with cognitive decline and dementia. To our knowledge, no prior study has investigated the association between the MIND diet and measures of brain volume, silent brain infarcts (SBIs), or brain atrophy.