Background:
As the population is ageing, the prevalence of dementia is expected to increase with huge burdens on individuals and society. Nutrition is a modifiable risk factor with both direct and indirect effects on the risk of dementia^1,2.

Methods:
A review of the evidence on dietary patterns and interventions associated with a reduced cognitive decline will be presented.

Results:
Higher adherence to dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and MIND diets have been associated with a reduced cognitive decline in various populations^3-5. Emerging evidence suggests that multicomponent interventions such as that used in the FINGER study⁶ result in improvement of cognitive outcomes in older individuals. A number of mechanisms linking nutrition and cognitive outcomes such as reduction in inflammation and oxidation, changes in gut microbiota profile and reduction in comorbidities have been suggested^7,8. Dietary recommendations aiming to reduce cognitive decline of the ageing brain are available⁹.

Conclusions:
Healthy dietary patterns provide a valuable means to slow cognitive decline especially within a multidisciplinary approach. Further research to better understand the timing, duration and content of interventions is necessary.