Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study

Abstract The findings on the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) are inconsistent. Additionally, the relationship between Alzheimer’s and the DASH diet has not been explored in the Middle East region. This case-control study aimed to evaluate...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi, Sajjad Khandae, Mahshad Shahabi, Mousa Attarzadeh, Mahdiyeh Karimi, Hoora Saghafi, Soodeh Razeghi, Fatemeh Khamseh, Bahram Rashidkhani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05416-z
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author Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi
Sajjad Khandae
Mahshad Shahabi
Mousa Attarzadeh
Mahdiyeh Karimi
Hoora Saghafi
Soodeh Razeghi
Fatemeh Khamseh
Bahram Rashidkhani
author_facet Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi
Sajjad Khandae
Mahshad Shahabi
Mousa Attarzadeh
Mahdiyeh Karimi
Hoora Saghafi
Soodeh Razeghi
Fatemeh Khamseh
Bahram Rashidkhani
author_sort Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The findings on the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) are inconsistent. Additionally, the relationship between Alzheimer’s and the DASH diet has not been explored in the Middle East region. This case-control study aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to DASH diet and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The study included 212 participants (106 cases and 106 controls). Cases were recruited among people in the early stages of the disease who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease within the past six months. Controls were selected from health centers across Tehran. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Four DASH diet indices (Dixon, Mellen, Fung, and Günther) were used to evaluate the adherence. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher adherence to Günther’s, Mellen’s, and Fung’s DASH diet indices were significantly associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (Mellen’s OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10–0.83; Fung’s OR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.08–0.65; Günther’s OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.13–1.00). Adherence to DASH dietary pattern might be associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Future studies should aim to investigate the association in a prospective design in the Middle East.
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spelling doaj-art-98dd8f1a4e614e8c9ddf7efd6b45a8242025-08-20T03:45:32ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-011511910.1038/s41598-025-05416-zAssociation between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control studyMohammad Mehdi Abbasi0Sajjad Khandae1Mahshad Shahabi2Mousa Attarzadeh3Mahdiyeh Karimi4Hoora Saghafi5Soodeh Razeghi6Fatemeh Khamseh7Bahram Rashidkhani8Student Research Committee, Department, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, Department, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, Department, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesIran Dementia and Alzheimer associationStudent Research Committee, Department, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, Department, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition Sciences and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesAbstract The findings on the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) are inconsistent. Additionally, the relationship between Alzheimer’s and the DASH diet has not been explored in the Middle East region. This case-control study aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to DASH diet and the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The study included 212 participants (106 cases and 106 controls). Cases were recruited among people in the early stages of the disease who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease within the past six months. Controls were selected from health centers across Tehran. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Four DASH diet indices (Dixon, Mellen, Fung, and Günther) were used to evaluate the adherence. After adjusting for potential confounders, higher adherence to Günther’s, Mellen’s, and Fung’s DASH diet indices were significantly associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease (Mellen’s OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10–0.83; Fung’s OR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.08–0.65; Günther’s OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.13–1.00). Adherence to DASH dietary pattern might be associated with a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Future studies should aim to investigate the association in a prospective design in the Middle East.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05416-zDASHAlzheimerDementiaNutritionDietDietary pattern
spellingShingle Mohammad Mehdi Abbasi
Sajjad Khandae
Mahshad Shahabi
Mousa Attarzadeh
Mahdiyeh Karimi
Hoora Saghafi
Soodeh Razeghi
Fatemeh Khamseh
Bahram Rashidkhani
Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study
Scientific Reports
DASH
Alzheimer
Dementia
Nutrition
Diet
Dietary pattern
title Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study
title_full Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study
title_fullStr Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study
title_full_unstemmed Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study
title_short Association between the DASH diet and Alzheimer’s disease in a case-control study
title_sort association between the dash diet and alzheimer s disease in a case control study
topic DASH
Alzheimer
Dementia
Nutrition
Diet
Dietary pattern
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-05416-z
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