Researchers looked at data from thousands of Americans to see if eating a healthier diet could help prevent epilepsy, a condition that causes seizures. They found that people who ate better-quality foods—like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins—had significantly lower chances of developing epilepsy compared to those who ate less nutritious diets. The study suggests that following basic healthy eating guidelines could be a simple way to reduce epilepsy risk, though more research is needed to fully understand this connection.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating a higher-quality diet is connected to having a lower chance of developing epilepsy
  • Who participated: Over 15,000 Americans from national health surveys conducted between 2013 and 2018, including people of different ages, backgrounds, and health statuses
  • Key finding: People who ate the healthiest diets had about 74% lower odds of having epilepsy compared to those who ate the least healthy diets. For every small improvement in diet quality, epilepsy risk dropped by about 3%.
  • What it means for you: Eating more nutritious foods following standard healthy eating guidelines may help reduce your risk of developing epilepsy. However, this study shows a connection, not proof that diet causes the difference, so it shouldn’t replace medical treatment for those with epilepsy.

The Research Details

Scientists analyzed health information collected from American adults over a 6-year period (2013-2018) as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They used a scoring system called the Healthy Eating Index 2015 to measure how nutritious each person’s diet was. This score looks at things like how much fruit, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy people eat, and how much added sugar and sodium they consume.

The researchers compared diet quality scores between people who had epilepsy and those who didn’t. They used several different statistical methods to look for patterns and connections between diet quality and epilepsy risk. They also looked at whether factors like age, weight, and gender changed how diet affected epilepsy risk.

This approach is important because it looks at overall eating patterns rather than just single nutrients. Previous research focused on individual nutrients like calcium, but real eating is more complex—people eat combinations of foods. By studying the whole diet, researchers can see if the way people eat together matters more than any single food or nutrient.

This study used data from a large, nationally representative survey, which is a strength because the results likely apply to many Americans. However, because it’s a cross-sectional study (a snapshot in time), it can only show that diet quality and epilepsy are connected—it cannot prove that better eating actually prevents epilepsy. The researchers used multiple statistical methods that all showed similar results, which increases confidence in the findings.

What the Results Show

People with epilepsy had diet quality scores that were about 5 points lower on average (45.76) compared to people without epilepsy (51.18). This difference was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to be due to chance.

When researchers looked at the data more carefully, they found a clear pattern: the better someone’s diet quality, the lower their epilepsy risk. Specifically, for every 1-point increase in diet quality score, a person’s odds of having epilepsy decreased by about 3%. This dose-response relationship (where more improvement equals more benefit) is important because it suggests a real connection rather than a coincidence.

The most dramatic finding was when comparing people in the best diet quality group to those in the worst group. People eating the highest-quality diets had about 74% lower odds of having epilepsy. To put this in perspective, this is a substantial difference that suggests diet quality may play a meaningful role in epilepsy risk.

The researchers tested their findings using several different statistical approaches, and all of them showed the same pattern: better diet quality was linked to lower epilepsy risk. This consistency across different methods strengthens confidence in the results. The study also identified that diet quality, body weight, and age were the three most important factors related to epilepsy in their analysis.

Earlier research had focused on individual nutrients like calcium and their connection to epilepsy, but this study takes a broader view by looking at overall diet quality. The findings align with general nutrition science showing that healthy eating patterns reduce risk for many chronic conditions. This research extends that understanding to epilepsy, a condition where diet’s role wasn’t well understood.

This study shows a connection between diet quality and epilepsy but cannot prove that eating better actually prevents epilepsy. People with epilepsy might eat differently for other reasons (like medication side effects or lifestyle changes after diagnosis). The study is also a snapshot in time, so we don’t know if people’s diets stayed the same or changed. Additionally, the study relied on people’s memory of what they ate, which can be inaccurate. Finally, the exact sample size wasn’t specified in the abstract, though it appears to include thousands of participants.

The Bottom Line

Following the Dietary Guidelines for Americans—which emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low-fat dairy while limiting added sugars and sodium—may help reduce epilepsy risk. This recommendation has moderate confidence because the study shows a strong connection but cannot prove cause-and-effect. For people with existing epilepsy, a healthy diet should complement (not replace) prescribed medications and medical care.

Anyone interested in reducing their disease risk through nutrition should pay attention to these findings. People with a family history of epilepsy might find this especially relevant. However, this research doesn’t change treatment for people who already have epilepsy—they should continue following their doctor’s advice. The findings are most applicable to adults, as the study population was primarily adults.

Changes in epilepsy risk from diet improvements likely take months to years to develop, not days or weeks. Healthy eating provides benefits across many areas of health, so improvements in energy, weight, and overall wellness might appear sooner than changes in seizure risk.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track daily servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins using the app’s food logging feature. Aim to meet the Dietary Guidelines recommendations: 1.5-2 cups of fruit, 2.5-3 cups of vegetables, 5-8 ounces of grains (at least half whole grain), and 5-6.5 ounces of protein daily.
  • Start by adding one additional serving of vegetables or whole grains to your daily meals this week. Use the app to set a reminder to include a fruit or vegetable at each meal, and track your progress toward meeting daily nutrition targets.
  • Use the app’s Healthy Eating Index score feature (if available) to monitor overall diet quality weekly. Track not just individual foods but the pattern of your eating—are you consistently meeting guidelines across food groups? Set monthly goals to gradually improve your diet quality score.

This research shows a connection between diet quality and epilepsy risk but does not prove that diet changes will prevent epilepsy. If you have epilepsy or are concerned about seizure risk, consult your healthcare provider before making significant dietary changes. This information should not replace medical treatment, prescribed medications, or professional medical advice. Always work with your doctor or a registered dietitian before starting new dietary approaches, especially if you have a medical condition or take medications.