'It keeps your body strong, your muscles strong, your brain strong:' perceptions about the role of physical activity and nutrition in brain health among middle-aged Latinos.

OBJECTIVES

Latinos are disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). It is estimated that interventions targeting lifestyle and health behaviors could prevent or delay up to 50% of ADRD cases worldwide. This study aimed to explore middle-aged Latinos' perceptions of the link between physical activity and nutrition with the maintenance of brain health.

DESIGN

Individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 English- or Spanish-speaking Latinos 35 to 64 years old. Participants were recruited via social media, flyers, direct contact of participants from prior studies, and snowball sampling. Questions addressed knowledge about the brain, perceptions of aging, and ideas of how to care for the brain. Responses that emerged pertaining to physical activity and nutrition were analyzed using conceptual content analysis to quantify the frequency of themes and identify trends.

RESULTS

Most participants were female (n = 18) and college educated (n = 17), with an average age of 47 years; two thirds reported being foreign born, and half reported lower acculturation levels. Physical activity and nutrition were spontaneously described as strategies to promote brain health by 22 and 24 participants, respectively. With regards to physical activity, walking was most often mentioned (n = 8), followed by yoga (n = 4). Few participants clarified frequency (n = 3), duration (n = 1), or intensity (n = 2). With regards to nutrition, common strategies mentioned were increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (n = 19), limiting processed foods (n = 9), and taking vitamins or supplements (n = 9).

CONCLUSION

Most participants demonstrated foundational knowledge of the link between nutrition, physical activity, and brain health. Some misconceptions were identified, such as participants overestimating the benefits of vitamins/supplements, which have weak correlations with preventing cognitive decline. Messaging may benefit from emphasizing recommendations regarding the role of frequency, duration, and intensity in physical activity, and specific nutrient, portioning, and preparation recommendations for dietary practices. Incorporating these messages into intergenerational programming may be particularly beneficial.