Adherence to a MIND-Like Dietary Pattern, Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter Air Pollution, and MRI-Based Measures of Brain Volume: The Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study-MRI

This study examined how adherence to a MIND diet—a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets—affects brain health in older women exposed to air pollution (PM2.5). The researchers found that women who followed the MIND diet had larger white matter brain volumes, a marker of healthy aging. For those not following the diet, air pollution was linked to greater brain volume loss. The findings highlight the potential of the MIND diet to protect against brain aging and mitigate some of the harmful effects of environmental factors like air pollution.

Incorporating MIND diet principles—such as eating more leafy greens, berries, and fish, while reducing red meat and fried food—may promote brain health and slow aging. This is based on observational data, so while the diet shows promise, more controlled trials are needed to confirm its direct effects.