# Eating More Fruits, Fish, Nuts, and Dairy Tied to Slower Cognitive Decline

- **Evidence Level**: Moderate
- **Journal**: NPJ science of food
- **Sample Size**: 3,106 Chinese older adults
- **Published**: 2026-04-09
- **Topics**: cognition, diet, aging
- **Original Source**: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41957017/

## Summary

In over 3,000 Chinese older adults tracked for about five years, those who ate more from six protective food groups (fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and dairy) showed slower cognitive decline. People scoring highest on this diet scale declined about 0.42 points per year slower on a cognitive test compared to those scoring lowest. The effect was modest but consistent across different ways of measuring cognition.

## Practical Takeaway

This study suggests a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and dairy may help preserve cognition.

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