Healthy midlife cognitive function (CF) reduces the risk of cognitive decline in older age. Evidence suggests that chrononutrition behaviours, such as time-restricted eating (TRE), positively affect CF possibly through a bioenergetic switch towards ketone use by the brain, DNA repair, and anti-inflammatory action(1,2). However, misalignment between preferred and actual food intake timing might disrupt the circadian rhythm, negatively affecting CF (3).
This study investigated associations between chrononutrition behaviours, including eating misalignment, and cognitive outcomes in adults aged 45-65 living in Cyprus. The following behaviours were derived from the Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire(4), as a weighted aggregate score of working and non-working days: breakfast skipping, largest meal of the day, morning latency (time between waking and first eating event), evening eating (last eating event in the waking day), evening latency (time between last eating event and sleep onset), night eating (waking in the night to eat) and eating window (time between the first and last eating event)(4). Misalignments were calculated by subtracting reported aggregate behaviour from preferred.  Computerized neurocognitive remote testing was used to derive standard normalized age-matched scores for composite memory, psychomotor speed, cognitive flexibility, complex attention, and global neurocognitive index(5). Education, marital status, smoking, body mass index, chronic disease diagnosis, Greek-Orthodox fasting, sleep, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence were also assessed, the latter three using validated questionnaires.
Cognitive outcome scores were divided into tertiles and analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Each chrononutrition variable, divided into categories(6-7), was independently regressed against each cognitive outcome, with the significant pairs then examined in multivariable models, adjusting for sociodemographic variables that were independently significantly associated with each cognitive outcome.
Two-hundred-seven participants were analyzed (58% female, median age: 52 yrs, 75.6% University graduates). Morning latency misalignment was associated with higher neurocognitive index (Odds Ratio (OR) of eating later than preferred by 30-90min: 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.36-6.26 & OR of eating later than preferred by > 90 min: 2.57;  95% CI: 1.32-5.03) and with higher cognitive flexibility score (OR of eating later than preferred by 30-90 min: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.07-4.60). An eating window longer than preferred by >120 mins was associated with a lower psychomotor speed score (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04-0.06). Evening eating between 20:00-22:59 vs. before 20:00 was associated with a higher complex attention score (OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.06-3.93).
The study findings on delaying the first eating episode and having a shorter eating window support previous findings that TRE is associated with better CF(2-3). The association of evening eating with better CF might be related to unexplored aspects of the overall diet quality and the evening meal or other residual confounders and needs further exploration.
References:
(1) Currenti W, Godos J, Castellano S et al (2021) Nutrients 13(1),191
(2) Ooi TC, Meramat A, Rajab NF et al (2022) J Nutr Health Aging 26:272-281.
(3) Flanagan A, Bechtold DA, Pot GK et al (2021) J Neurochem 157(1), 53-72
(4) Veronda AC, Allison KC, Crosby RD et al (2020) Chronobiol Int 37(3), 375-394
(5) CNS Vital Signs (2024) [Available at: https://www.cnsvs.com]
(6) Juliana N, Teng NIMF, Hairudin KF et al (2023) Front Nutr 10:1079069.
(7) Veronda AC, Irish LA (2021) Chronobiol Int 38 (4):557-564

Healthy midlife cognitive function (CF) reduces the risk of cognitive decline in older age. Evidence suggests that chrononutrition behaviours, such as time-restricted eating (TRE), positively affect CF possibly through a bioenergetic switch towards ketone use by the brain, DNA repair, and anti-inflammatory action^(1,2)^. However, misalignment between preferred and actual food intake timing might disrupt the circadian rhythm, negatively affecting CF ^(3)^.
This study investigated associations between chrononutrition behaviours, including eating misalignment, and cognitive outcomes in adults aged 45-65 living in Cyprus. The following behaviours were derived from the Chrononutrition Profile Questionnaire^(4)^, as a weighted aggregate score of working and non-working days: breakfast skipping, largest meal of the day, morning latency (time between waking and first eating event), evening eating (last eating event in the waking day), evening latency (time between last eating event and sleep onset), night eating (waking in the night to eat) and eating window (time between the first and last eating event)^(4)^. Misalignments were calculated by subtracting reported aggregate behaviour from preferred.  Computerized neurocognitive remote testing was used to derive standard normalized age-matched scores for composite memory, psychomotor speed, cognitive flexibility, complex attention, and global neurocognitive index^(5)^. Education, marital status, smoking, body mass index, chronic disease diagnosis, Greek-Orthodox fasting, sleep, physical activity, and Mediterranean diet adherence were also assessed, the latter three using validated questionnaires.
Cognitive outcome scores were divided into tertiles and analyzed using ordinal logistic regression. Each chrononutrition variable, divided into categories^(6-7)^, was independently regressed against each cognitive outcome, with the significant pairs then examined in multivariable models, adjusting for sociodemographic variables that were independently significantly associated with each cognitive outcome.
Two-hundred-seven participants were analyzed (58% female, median age: 52 yrs, 75.6% University graduates). Morning latency misalignment was associated with higher neurocognitive index (Odds Ratio (OR) of eating later than preferred by 30-90min: 2.91; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.36-6.26 & OR of eating later than preferred by > 90 min: 2.57;  95% CI: 1.32-5.03) and with higher cognitive flexibility score (OR of eating later than preferred by 30-90 min: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.07-4.60). An eating window longer than preferred by >120 mins was associated with a lower psychomotor speed score (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04-0.06). Evening eating between 20:00-22:59 vs. before 20:00 was associated with a higher complex attention score (OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.06-3.93).
The study findings on delaying the first eating episode and having a shorter eating window support previous findings that TRE is associated with better CF^(2-3)^. The association of evening eating with better CF might be related to unexplored aspects of the overall diet quality and the evening meal or other residual confounders and needs further exploration.
**References:**
(1) Currenti W, Godos J, Castellano S et al (2021) _Nutrients_ 13(1),191
(2) Ooi TC, Meramat A, Rajab NF et al (2022) _J Nutr Health Aging_ 26:272-281.
(3) Flanagan A, Bechtold DA, Pot GK et al (2021) _J Neurochem_ 157(1), 53-72
(4) Veronda AC, Allison KC, Crosby RD et al (2020) _Chronobiol Int_ 37(3), 375-394
(5) CNS Vital Signs (2024) [Available at: [https://www.cnsvs.com](https://www.cnsvs.com/)]
(6) Juliana N, Teng NIMF, Hairudin KF et al (2023) _Front Nutr_ 10:1079069.
(7) Veronda AC, Irish LA (2021) _Chronobiol Int_ 38 (4):557-564

OC204 - Associations between preferred and misaligned eating behaviours with cognitive outcomes in 45-65-year-old adults living in Cyprus: the NUTRICO study

Unique to the new Congress (previously the Summer Conference) is that you will have greater opportunity to engage with more nutrition science than ever before. In 2024 the core programme will be delivered by the Irish Section of The Nutrition Society, supported by the Science Committee. The theme of these symposia will be ‘new data – focused approaches and challenges’. Outside of the core programme you will have the chance to hear the latest research from the Society’s partner organisations, universities, the private sector and more, on a diverse range of research.