Associations between dietary fatty acid patterns and cognitive function in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Our objective was to quantify the cross-sectional associations between dietary fatty acid (DFA) patterns and cognitive function among Hispanic/Latino adults. This study included data from 8942 participants of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a population-based cohort study (weighted age 56 center dot 2 years and proportion female 55 center dot 2 %). The National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate dietary intake from two 24-h recalls. We derived DFA patterns using principal component analysis with twenty-six fatty acid and total plant and animal MUFA input variables. Global cognitive function was calculated as the average z-score of four neurocognitive tests. Survey linear regression models included multiple potential confounders such as age, sex, education, depressive symptoms, physical activity, energy intake and CVD. DFA patterns were characterised by the consumption of long-chain SFA, animal-based MUFA and trans-fatty acids (factor 1); short to medium-chain SFA (factor 2); very-long-chain n-3 PUFA (factor 3); very-long-chain SFA and plant-based MUFA and PUFA (factor 4). Factor 2 was associated with greater scores for global cognitive function (beta = 0 center dot 037 (sd 0 center dot 012)) and the Digit Symbol Substitution (DSS) (beta = 0 center dot 56 (sd 0 center dot 17)), Brief Spanish English Verbal Learning-Sum (B-SEVLT) (beta = 0 center dot 23 (sd 0 center dot 11)) and B-SEVLT-Recall (beta = 0 center dot 11 (sd 0 center dot 05)) tests (P < 0 center dot 05 for all). Factors 1 (beta = 0 center dot 04 (sd 0 center dot 01)) and 4 (beta = 0 center dot 70 (sd 0 center dot 18)) were associated with the DSS test (P < 0 center dot 05 for all). The consumption of short to medium-chain SFA may be associated with higher cognitive function among US-residing Hispanic/Latino adults. Prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.