Background
Cognitive impairment (CI) is a pressing public health issue worldwide. Studies suggest a possible relationship between dietary intake of certain trace elements and cognitive functions. Therefore, it is pertinent to explore the status of dietary intake of trace elements and their impact on CI in populations with unique dietary patterns.
Aim
To explore the relationship between dietary intake of selected trace elements (Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Chromium, and Manganese) with CI among adults of a lacto-vegetarian population.
Patients and Methods
A total of 500 individuals aged 30–70 years belonging to a lacto-vegetarian community of North India were recruited. All the recruited individuals were screened for CI using mini-mental state examination. Those scoring below the standard cutoff were categorized as cases and others as controls. The data on dietary intake were collected using the Food frequency. food frequency questionnaire data were analyzed using Dietcal software. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Science.
Results
Median copper intake was found to be significantly higher in the case group than in the control group. After stratification for sex, the difference remained significant only among females. Further, females in the fourth quartile of copper intake were found to be at a two-fold increased risk for CI against those in the first quartile. Differences in median intake of other studied trace elements between cases and controls were not found to be statistically significant.
Conclusions
The present study suggests a possible role of high copper intake in the causation of CI among females in the studied population.