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!1AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
RESEARCH BRIEF
Brain Health and Nutrition Behavior in Hispanic Adults Age 40-Plus
Brain Health, Nutrition, and Mental Well-being
Evidence continues to grow for the link between a healthy diet and brain
health.1 Studies have shown a connection between consumption of
specific foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and fish, and better brain health.1
Although healthier food choices are better for brain health, studies have
shown that eating patterns differ by race and ethnicity.2 Therefore, it is
important to investigate the relationship between brain health and nutrition
behaviors in Hispanic/Latino adults compared to other racial groups.
An AARP survey about nutrition behaviors and brain health included an
oversample of Hispanic adults age 40 and older (N=351). Over half (56%)
self-reported very good or excellent brain health. This is slightly lower than
White respondents (64%) but similar to African American/Black
respondents (60%).
Mental well-being was assessed through a series of related questions that
were summed into a composite score, with possible scores ranging from
14 to 70.3 These questions asked respondents to report their frequency of
different feelings such as feeling optimistic, relaxed, and confident, among
others. Average scores for Hispanic adults age 40 and older were high
(53.2), which were similar to White (52.2) and African American/Black
(52.2). Overall, adults who had better brain health also had higher average
mental-well-being scores.
h"ps://doi.org/10.26419/res.00187.002
Hispanic adults age 40 and older who indicated better overall health were more likely to indicate better brain health than their peers with lower overall health statuses.
1 Moore et al., “Current Evidence Linking Nutrition with Brain Health in Ageing.” 2 August and Sorkin, “Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Exercise and Dietary Behaviors of Middle-Aged and Older Adults”; Siega-Riz et al., “Food-Group and Nutrient-Density Intakes by Hispanic and Latino Backgrounds in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.” 3 NHS Health Scotland, University of Warwick, and University of Edinburgh, “Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS).”
Hispanic adults age 40 and older who reported eating nutritious and well-balanced meals most or all days of the week were more likely to report better brain health than their peers who did not.
Mental well-being was assessed through a series of related questions that
were summed into a composite score, with possible scores ranging from
14 to 70.5 These questions asked respondents to report their frequency of
different feelings such as feeling optimistic, relaxed, and confident, among
others. In general, there is a positive association between better brain
health and higher mental well-being scores. Overall scores for African
American/Black respondents (52.2) were also similar to White (52.3) and
Hispanic (53.3) adults.
!2AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.aarp.org/research
Health and Nutrition Behaviors
Less than half (43%) of Hispanic respondents reported an overall health status of very good or excellent. This is
noteworthy because of the connection between overall health and brain health: Hispanic adults age 40 and older who
indicated better overall health were more likely to indicate better brain health than their peers with lower overall health
statuses. There was a considerable difference: 92% of those reporting excellent/very good overall health indicated
excellent/very good brain health, while only 30% of those reporting lower overall health indicated excellent or very good
brain health. A similar relationship was found between overall health and mental well-being scores; respondents
reporting better overall health also had higher average mental well-being scores than their less healthy peers (56.6
versus 50.8).
Survey respondents were asked about the frequency of engaging in different activities that contribute to a healthy
lifestyle, including eating nutritious and well-balanced meals; managing stress effectively in their lives; exercising;
socializing with family, friends or others; and feeling well rested. For this analysis, the criteria of a “healthy behavior”
required a frequency of “most or all the time (5-7 days per week).”
Ate nutritious andwell-balanced
meals
Managed stress effectively
Exercised Socialized with family,friends or others
Felt well-rested
52%49%56%48%51%
71%72%63%
76%69%
≥5 Days per Week ≤4 Days per Week
Healthy Behaviors and Better Brain Health Status (% Reporting Excellent/Very Good Brain Health)
!3AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.aarp.org/research
Hispanic adults age 40 and older who reported eating nutritious and well-
balanced meals most or all days of the week were more likely to report
better brain health than their peers who did not (69% versus 51%).
Similar relationships were found for the behaviors of managing stress
effectively (76% versus 48%), socializing with family and friends (72%
versus 49%), and feeling well-rested (71% versus 52%). Unfortunately,
approximately 40 percent of Hispanic adults (age 40-plus) did not
engage in any healthy behaviors five days a week or more often. Those
who reported three or more healthy behaviors were more likely to report
excellent or very good brain health (75%) than their peers reporting one
to two healthy behaviors (59%) or no healthy behaviors (45%). This
suggests a correlation between engagement in healthy behaviors and
better self-reported brain health.
When compared to White respondents, a significantly higher proportion
of Hispanic adults did not engage in any healthy behaviors five or more
days per week (40% versus 26%). However, they engaged at rates
similar to African American/Black (35%) adults age 40 and older.
Hispanic adults reported lower frequencies than White adults of eating
nutritious and well-balanced meals (30% versus 37%), socializing with
family and friends (35% versus 44%), and effective stress management
(32% versus 46%). Hispanic adults also reported lower frequencies of
effective stress management then African American/Black adults (32%
versus 43%).
75%
59%
45%0
1 to 2
3+
Fruit Vegetables Dairy Protein Grains
Number of Healthy Behaviorsand Brain Health
(% Reporting Excellent/Very Good Brain Health)
3%9%
17%33%
51%
# of healthy behaviors
Food Group Recommendations
(% Meeting Recommendation)
MyPlate Recommendations
Fruit: 1.5 - 2 cups per day Vegetables: 2 - 3 cups per day
Dairy: 3 cups per day Protein: 5-6 cups per day Grains: 5-7 cups per day
*From: https://www.choosemyplate.gov (amount varies by age and gender)
Meeting Nutritional Guidelines
The number of Hispanic adults age 40 and older meeting nutritional
guidelines was relatively low across all food groups. The US Department
of Agriculture first developed a nutritional tool called MyPlate in 2010 to
assist individuals with understanding dietary guidelines. MyPlate has
since been updated to reflect the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for
Americans.4 Half (51%) of Hispanic adults age 40 and older met
MyPlate’s recommended number of servings for fruit, and one-third
(33%) met the recommended number of servings of vegetables. Many
fewer met the guidelines for dairy (17%), protein (9%), and grains (3%).
This finding is noteworthy due to the possible connection between
healthy eating and brain health status.
4 UnitedStatesDepartmentofAgriculture,“ChooseMyPlate.Gov.”
!4AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Hispanic adults who ate the recommended number of fruit servings were more likely to report very good or excellent
brain health than their peers who did not (65% versus 49%). A similar relationship was found for those who ate the
recommended number of vegetable servings (64% versus 53%).
Overall, patterns for meeting nutritional guidelines are similar across racial and ethnic groups. Similar to their White
and African American/Black peers, almost 40 percent of Hispanic adults age 40 and older did not meet nutritional
guidelines for any food groups, and only 13 percent met nutritional guidelines for three or more food groups.
Consumption of Specific Foods
www.aarp.org/research
5 GlobalCouncilonBrainHealth,“Brain-FoodGCBHRecommendaTonsonNourishingYourBrainHealth.”
Specific foods have been identified as healthy (i.e., fish/seafood, beans and legumes, olive oil, raw nuts, berries, etc.)
and less healthy (i.e., red meat, desserts, beverages with sugar, prepared foods, whole-fat dairy, etc.).5 Hispanic
adults age 40 and older ate more red meat than fish/seafood in a typical week (63% versus 56%), and almost one-
third consumed sugar-sweetened beverages weekly. However, nearly 70 percent of Hispanic adults age 40 and older
consumed beans and legumes at least once a week, with almost 50 percent consuming them three or more times per
week (see table below).
Better self-reported brain health was associated with eating berries (67% versus 54%), drinking green tea (70%
versus 53%), and red wine (76% versus 54%).
Healthy Foods
% Who Consume at Least Once in a Typical Week
% Who Consume 3+ Days per Week
Less Healthy Foods
Any type of fish/seafood
58% 22%Beans and Legumes
70% 49%Olive Oil
52% 36%Raw Nuts
33% 21%Berries
22%13%
Red Meats
64% 30%Desserts
42% 22%Beverages with Sugar
34% 23%Prepared Foods
19% 8%
18%
19%
20%
24%
24%
29%
30%
31%
43%
46%Eating healthy would be too expensive
It is hard to eat a healthy diet
My family may not like the taste of healthy foods
I am not a “healthy foods types” of person
I do not know what foods are best to eat
I generally don’t have much of an appetite
I do not like the test of healthy foods
Changing my diet will not make that much of a difference
No stores nearby that sell healthy food
Issues, illness or condition that make it difficult to eat
Barriers to Healthy Nutrition (% Agree)
!5AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.aarp.org/research
Barriers to Healthy Nutrition and Behavior Change
Since healthy nutrition is positively related to brain health, it is important to consider why some people do not meet
nutritional guidelines. The top barriers to healthy nutrition cited by Hispanic adults age 40 and older include cost (46%),
difficulty (43%), the taste of healthy foods (31%), and not knowing which foods are the best to eat (30%).
Hispanic adults age 40 and older were more likely to report the following barriers than White adults: there are no
stores nearby that sell healthy food, eating healthy would be too expensive, having a condition that makes it difficult to
eat, not knowing which foods are best to eat, and belief that changing their diet would not make a difference. Some of
these barriers might be addressed through educational programming to increase knowledge about which foods are
best to eat and how nutrition can impact health.
In a typical week, Hispanic adults age 40 and older were more likely to
consume beans/legumes than other racial/ethnic groups. Hispanic adults
were less likely to eat red meat (64% versus 71%), prepared foods (19%
versus 37%), and dessert (42% versus 55%) than White adults. Hispanic adults
were also less likely than African-American/Black adults to consume
sugar-sweetened beverages in atypical week (34% versus 50%).
!6AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.aarp.org/research
Food InsecurityThere is a significant correlation between brain health and meal skipping
for Hispanic adults age 40 and older; those who have had to skip meals
were less likely to report very good or excellent brain health than their
peers who have not experienced this situation (46% versus 63%).This is
worrisome because Hispanic adults age 40 and older report high levels of
food insecurity (see chart at right). Over half of respondents have
experienced running out of money for food before the end of the month
(54%) and/or not being able to afford the healthier foods they wish to buy
(59%). Over one in three respondents has had to choose between buying
food or paying bills (38%), and one in five was often hungry because they
could not afford to buy food (21%).
Hispanic respondents reported rates of food insecurity similar to African
American/Black respondents, but report all food insecurity situations at a
higher rate than Whites with the exception of often being hungry because
they cannot afford to buy food. These results indicate that affordability is a
significant barrier to food security and therefore adequate nutrition for
many Hispanic adults.
Nutrition Behavior ChangeSince brain health is impacted by nutrition, interventions aimed at
changing eating behaviors may help improve nutrition and therefore brain
health. The majority of Hispanic respondents (70%) had confidence in
their abilities to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet, though slightly fewer
(66%) actually intended to do so. Additionally, 63 percent of Hispanic
adults 40 and older indicated that they would be more likely to change
their diet if their doctor told them to. Hispanic adults who were confident in
their abilities to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet on a regular basis were
more likely to report better brain health than those who were not (62%
versus 46%). This survey found a similar relationship with intention and
brain health; those that intended to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet on a
regular basis were more likely to report better brain health than their
peers who did not (63% versus 53%).
Hispanic respondents reported a high willingness to make healthy
changes to their diet if they were aware of positive health outcomes for
brain health and chronic disease. Approximately 85 percent of Hispanic
adults age 40 and older reported willingness to eat more fish/seafood,
21%
29%
36%
38%
54%
59%
I have been unable to afford the healthier foods I would rather buy
Food Insecurity (% Ever Experienced)
Hispanic adults 40 and older indicated that they would be more likely to change their diet if their doctor told them to.
I have run out of money for foodbefore the end of the month
I have had to choose betweenbuying food and paying bills
I have had to skip meals in orderto stretch my food budget
I have had to choose between buying food and buying medication
I am often hungry because Icannot afford to buy food
!7AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.aarp.org/research
limited red meat, and/or limit whole-fat dairy if they knew it could help them
maintain or improve their brain health. Additionally, approximately 95
percent of Hispanic adults were willing to eat a healthy diet if they knew it
would help reduce risk of cognitive decline, heart disease, and/or diabetes.
There were some differences across racial and ethnic groups concerning
nutrition behavior change. Hispanic respondents were more likely than
White respondents to report that they intended to eat a healthy, well-
balanced diet on a regular basis and that they would change their diet if
their doctor told them to. Additionally, Hispanic respondents were also
more willing than White respondents to eat more fish/seafood, limit red
meat, and limit whole-fat dairy to maintain or improve brain health (see
chart at right). Hispanic adults also reported being more willing than White
adults to eat a healthy diet to reduce risk of cognitive decline, heart
disease, and diabetes. These results indicate that behavior change
interventions based on education, health, and affordability are promising
among Hispanic adults.
SummaryThe majority of Hispanic adults age 40 and older self-reported very good
or excellent brain health, but only 43 percent indicated very good or
excellent overall health. Better overall health is indicative of better brain
health, and those with better brain health also scored higher in mental
well-being. Better brain health was also associated with frequently
meeting different healthy behaviors, eating the recommended number of
servings of fruits and vegetables, consuming foods such as berries and
green tea, and refraining from consuming dessert in a typical week.
Behavior Change by Race/Ethnicity
(% Meeting Recommendation)
Eat more fish/seafood
Limit red meat
Limit whole- fat dairy
Cognitive decline
Heart Disease
Diabetes
Hispanic
African American/Black
White
“. . . to maintain or im
prove brain health”“E
at a healthy diet to reduce risk of . . .”
59%
85%
86%
55%
80%
88%
64%
83%
84%
85%
96%
95%
86%
96%
95%
86%
85%
95%
93%
85%
!8AARP Research © MARCH 2019 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.aarp.org/research
Methodology
Survey data presented in this brief were collected through an online, national survey of adults age 40 and older fielded
from October–November 2017. This study was completed as part of a larger series of surveys on brain health in adults
concerning multiple areas including exercise, mental well-being, sleep, social engagement, and cognitive activities in
addition to nutrition. For more information, please see https://www.aarp.org/health/brain-health/global-council-on-brain-
health/resource-library/
This research brief was written by Kerri Vasold and Madeline Eller. The
original report was written by Laura Mehegan ([email protected]),
Chuck Ra inv i l l e (g ra inv i l l e@aarp .o rg) , and Laura Skufca
Visual Production Credits
Page 1: iStock.com/Wavebreakmedia
Page 5: iStock.com/monticelllo
Page 7: iStock.com/happy_lark
Barriers and food insecurity situations were more highly reported among Hispanic respondents than White
respondents, and at similar rates to African American/Black respondents. Hispanic adults age 40 and older also
reported a high willingness to change their nutrition behaviors in response to becoming aware of positive benefits for
disease resistance (between 85 to 95 percent across all situations). Hispanics were more likely to make these positive
dietary changes than White respondents and at similar rates to African American/Black respondents, indicating
promising possibilities for behavior change interventions.
