Associations Between Chrono‐Nutrition Behaviours and Cognitive Function in Middle‐Aged Adults: The NUTRICO Cross‐Sectional Cohort Study

Feb 24, 2025Nutrition bulletin

Timing of Eating Habits Linked to Thinking Skills in Middle-Aged Adults

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Abstract

Two-hundred and seven participants aged 45-65 years were analyzed for associations between behaviours and cognitive function.

of 30-90 minutes is associated with a higher neurocognitive index.
Eating later than preferred by more than 90 minutes may also lead to a higher neurocognitive index.
Eating later than preferred by 30-90 minutes is linked to improved cognitive flexibility.
An eating window longer than preferred by over 120 minutes is associated with lower psychomotor speed.
Evening eating between 20:00 and 22:59 is related to higher complex attention compared to eating before 20:00.
No association was found between eating alignment and better cognitive function.

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Healthy midlife cognitive function (CF) reduces the risk of later cognitive decline. Emerging evidence suggests that may be associated with CF. This cross-sectional cohort study aimed to examine associations between chrono-nutrition behaviours and CF in adults aged 45-65 years living in Cyprus. Chrono-nutrition, including misalignments between actual and preferred eating times, Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence, sleep and physical activity were assessed using validated questionnaires. Computerised neurocognitive remote testing was used to derive standard normalised age-matched scores for composite memory, psychomotor speed, cognitive flexibility, complex attention, reaction time and neurocognitive index. Education, marital status, smoking, body mass index, chronic disease diagnosis and religious fasting were also assessed. Adjusted multivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to assess each chrono-nutrition variable against each cognitive outcome. Two-hundred and seven participants were analysed (58% female, median age: 52 years, 75.6% university graduates). Morning latency (duration of time between one's wake time and first eating event) misalignment was associated with higher neurocognitive index (OR eating later than preferred by 30-90 min: 2.91; 95% CI: 1.33-5.97 and OR eating later than preferred by > 90 min: 2.57; 95% CI: 1.34-4.88) and with higher cognitive flexibility (OR eating later than preferred by 30-90 min: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.07-4.64). An eating window longer than preferred by > 120 min was associated with a lower psychomotor speed (OR: 0.17; 95% CI: 0.04-0.67). Evening eating between 20:00 and 22:59 versus before 20:00 was associated with higher complex attention (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.08-3.97). No evidence was found that eating alignment is associated with better CF. The study provides insights that some chrono-nutrition behaviours may be associated with CF with potential implications for improving CF in middle-aged adults.

Key numbers

2.91

Increase in Neurocognitive Index

Odds ratio for eating later than preferred by 30-90 minutes.

0.17

Decrease in Psychomotor Speed

Odds ratio for longer eating window effect on psychomotor speed.

2.07

Increase in Complex Attention

Odds ratio comparing evening eating times.

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Associations Between Chrono‐Nutrition Behaviours and Cognitive Function in Middle‐Aged Adults: The NUTRICO Cross‐Sectional Cohort Study

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