Researchers studied nearly 2,500 Italian adults to understand how inflammatory foods and lifestyle habits affect thinking and memory skills. They found that people who ate more inflammatory foods had lower scores on brain function tests, especially those who also experienced depression. The study suggests that choosing anti-inflammatory foods—like fruits, vegetables, and fish—might help protect brain health as we age. This research adds to growing evidence that what we eat doesn’t just affect our waistline; it can influence how well our brains work.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether eating inflammatory foods and having an inflammatory lifestyle are connected to problems with thinking, memory, and brain function in middle-aged and older adults.
  • Who participated: 2,474 Italian adults with an average age of 67 years old; about 55% were women. Researchers looked at their eating habits, lifestyle choices, and brain function test scores.
  • Key finding: People who ate more inflammatory foods showed worse brain function scores. For every increase in inflammatory food consumption, the risk of significant cognitive decline increased by 33%. The effect was even stronger—more than double—in people who also had depression.
  • What it means for you: Eating foods that cause inflammation in your body may be linked to memory and thinking problems, especially if you’re also dealing with depression. Switching to anti-inflammatory foods might help protect your brain health, though this study shows a connection rather than proving cause-and-effect.

The Research Details

This was a cross-sectional study, which means researchers took a snapshot in time of 2,474 Italian adults and looked at their eating habits, lifestyle choices, and brain function all at once. They didn’t follow people over time; instead, they measured everything at a single point.

To measure how inflammatory someone’s diet was, researchers used a scoring system called the Dietary Inflammation Score (DIS) that rates foods based on whether they increase or decrease inflammation in the body. They also created a Lifestyle Inflammation Score (LIS) that looked at factors like physical activity, sleep, and stress. Brain function was tested using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a standard test that checks memory, thinking speed, and other mental skills.

The researchers then used statistical analysis to see if people with higher inflammatory scores had lower brain function scores, while controlling for other factors like age, education, and depression.

This approach is important because it shows real-world patterns in actual people’s lives. By studying a large group of adults in Italy, researchers could see whether the foods people actually eat connect to their brain health. The study also looked at whether depression changes this relationship, which is valuable because depression and cognitive problems often occur together.

This study has several strengths: it included a large number of people (2,474), used standardized tests for brain function and depression, and controlled for many other factors that could affect results. However, because it’s a cross-sectional study, it shows a connection between inflammatory foods and brain problems but cannot prove that the foods actually cause the brain problems. People who eat inflammatory foods might have other unhealthy habits that affect their brains. The study was done in Italy, so results might not apply equally to other populations with different diets and genetics.

What the Results Show

Among the 2,474 participants, about 42% had normal brain function scores, while 7% showed significant cognitive decline. When researchers looked at dietary inflammation, they found that for every increase in the Dietary Inflammation Score, people were 33% more likely to have significant cognitive decline compared to normal brain function.

Interestingly, the connection between lifestyle inflammation and brain function was weaker and not statistically significant. This suggests that what you eat may matter more for brain health than lifestyle factors alone, though both are likely important.

The most striking finding involved depression: in people with moderate to severe depression, the link between inflammatory foods and brain decline was much stronger—more than double the effect seen in people without depression. This suggests that depression and inflammatory foods may work together to harm brain function.

When researchers adjusted their analysis to account for blood markers of inflammation (like C-reactive protein), the connection between inflammatory foods and brain decline remained strong. This is important because it suggests the effect isn’t simply explained by inflammation in the bloodstream—there may be other ways that inflammatory foods affect the brain. The study also showed that the relationship was consistent across different age groups and education levels.

This research builds on earlier studies showing that inflammation is linked to cognitive decline and dementia. Previous research has suggested that anti-inflammatory diets like the Mediterranean diet may protect brain health. This study is one of the first to specifically examine how inflammatory foods connect to brain function in a large European population and to show that depression strengthens this connection. The findings align with growing evidence that diet is a modifiable factor we can control to protect our brains.

The biggest limitation is that this study shows correlation, not causation—we can’t say inflammatory foods definitely cause brain problems. People who eat inflammatory foods might also have other unhealthy habits. The study was done in Italy, so results might differ in other countries with different diets and genetics. Additionally, the brain function test (MoCA) is a screening tool, not a diagnosis of dementia. Finally, because this was a snapshot in time, we don’t know whether people’s brain function got worse over time or whether changing their diet would improve their brain function.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, consider reducing inflammatory foods (like processed meats, sugary drinks, and refined grains) and increasing anti-inflammatory foods (like fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and olive oil). This recommendation has moderate confidence because the study shows a strong connection, though it doesn’t prove cause-and-effect. If you have depression along with concerns about memory or thinking, paying attention to your diet may be especially important. These dietary changes also benefit heart health and overall wellness, so they’re worth trying regardless.

This research is most relevant for middle-aged and older adults, particularly those with depression or family history of cognitive decline. If you’re experiencing memory problems or depression, talk to your doctor before making major dietary changes. Younger adults should also pay attention because building healthy eating habits now may protect brain health later. People without depression may see smaller benefits from dietary changes, but the research suggests benefits still exist.

Brain health changes happen slowly. You might notice improvements in energy, mood, or mental clarity within a few weeks of eating better, but significant changes in cognitive function typically take months to years. Think of this as a long-term investment in your brain health rather than a quick fix.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track your daily intake of inflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory foods. Log servings of processed foods, sugary items, and fried foods (inflammatory) versus fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, and whole grains (anti-inflammatory). Aim to gradually shift the ratio toward more anti-inflammatory foods each week.
  • Set a specific goal like ‘Add one anti-inflammatory food to each meal’ or ‘Replace one sugary drink with water daily.’ Use the app to log these changes and celebrate small wins. If you’re also managing depression, track mood alongside dietary changes to see if you notice any connections.
  • Every month, rate your mental clarity and memory on a simple 1-10 scale. Track which weeks you stuck to anti-inflammatory eating and compare that to your cognitive scores. Over 3-6 months, you should see patterns emerge. Share this data with your doctor if you’re concerned about cognitive decline.

This research shows a connection between inflammatory foods and brain function but does not prove that foods cause cognitive problems. If you’re experiencing memory loss, confusion, or other cognitive changes, consult your healthcare provider for proper evaluation and diagnosis. Do not use this information to self-diagnose or replace medical advice. If you have depression or are taking medications, talk to your doctor before making significant dietary changes. This study was conducted in Italy and may not apply equally to all populations.