Research Reveals Oversights in Cognitive Health Studies

Cognitive health is a major focus of many supplements and functional food and beverage products available on the market. The global market for brain health supplements was valued at USD 8.63 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow at a rate of 13.3% from 2023 to 2030.

It is essential to scientifically validate the benefits of brain health in order to promote these products effectively. However, there is a gap in understanding whether standardized cognitive tests used in clinical trials align with consumers’ desired outcomes.

A recent study highlights the challenge this knowledge gap poses to scientifically proving the cognitive health benefits of nutrition-based products.

Researchers based in the US stated, “For the first time, we have observed how consumers perceive the potential benefits of nutrition on brain health.” They emphasized the importance of accurately understanding consumer expectations from functional foods, beverages, and supplements to provide clear, scientifically substantiated information.

The report emphasized the need to bridge the gap between science and consumers and to encourage collaborative nutrition research to develop products and dietary recommendations that promote achievable cognitive benefits for public health.

Methodology

Researchers compared qualitative consumer expectation research with insights from an expert panel to identify gaps in cognitive health research methodology.

An independent organization, the National Opinion Research Center (NORC), conducted four focus groups involving ‘mainstream’ consumers of cognitive health supplements and functional foods to determine their expected benefits from such products and how they envision these benefits manifesting in their daily lives.

An expert panel consisting of scientists specialized in cognitive health, psychometrically robust measurements, diet’s impact on cognition, brain health, and consumer research assessed whether current cognitive performance tools can substantiate the specific benefits identified by consumers.

Prospective Memory, Flow, and Presence

Experts agreed that validated tests exist to measure efficacy of nutrition interventions for benefits like focused attention, sustained attention, episodic memory, energy levels, and anxiety, as mentioned by consumers.

Consumers also expressed a desire for better memory to complete daily tasks (prospective memory), an area that has not been extensively studied in relation to nutrition. The expert panel highlighted the need for more sensitive tests in this aspect.

Consumers also mentioned being ‘in the zone’ or experiencing a ‘flow state’, where they are fully focused on a task. The effect of nutrition on entering flow states has not been studied yet, although validated scales like the Flow State Scale exist.

Consumers often associated brain health with feelings of being ‘present’ or ‘in the moment’. The expert panel suggested using mindfulness questionnaires with subscales to measure presence, but their sensitivity to nutrition’s effects remains uncertain.

Researchers should consider factors like reverse causality, as mindfulness has been linked to eating habits.

Source: Nutrients

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16121950

“Alignment of Consumers’ Expected Brain Benefits from Food and Supplements with Measurable Cognitive Performance Tests”

Authors: Young, H.A.; Cousins, A.L.; Byrd-Bredbenner, C.; Benton, D.; Gershon, R.C.; Ghirardelli, A.; Latulippe, M.E.; Scholey, A.; Wagstaff, L.