170931 20260430151735.0 doi 10.1016/j.mad.2026.112183 sideral 149024 ART-2026-149024 eng Castillo-Bernad, Sergio Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0009-0001-5448-5213 Effectiveness of exercise and nutrition interventions for cognitive function in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis 2026 Although life expectancy has increased, the proportion of years lived without disability has not improved at the same rate. This has contributed to the rising prevalence of dementia, which currently affects over 55 million people worldwide. In the absence of curative treatments, non-pharmacological strategies such as exercise and diet have attracted interest as a means of preserving cognitive function in older adults. This systematic review and metaanalysis evaluated the effectiveness of combined exercise and dietary or nutritional supplementation interventions on global cognitive function in healthy older adults or those with mild cognitive impairment. Following PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO ID: CRD42024528600), we searched the following databases up to 1 May 2025: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and SportDiscus. Fourteen randomised controlled trials involving 4013 participants aged 65 years or over (mean age: 71.4) without diagnosed dementia were included. Global cognition was assessed using validated tools. The methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale and the risk of bias using Cochrane's RoB 2 tool. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using the DerSimonian-Laird method, with heterogeneity estimated via the I² statistic. A combined exercise and nutritional intervention significantly improved global cognitive function compared to the control group (SMD: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.24; I²: 50%). A sensitivity analysis that excluded multi-domain interventions confirmed this effect (d = 0.12; 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.22; I² = 0%). However, no significant improvements were found in specific domains, such as executive function or visual-perceptual ability. Variability in methodological protocols, follow-up durations, cognitive tools and adherence measurement limits comparability. While the observed effect size was modest, these findings, in the context of healthy ageing, suggest the potential for these combined interventions to attenuate cognitive decline and preserve functional autonomy, thereby highlighting their role in dementia prevention strategies. Access copy available to the general public Unrestricted info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/AEI/RED2022-134800-T info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/ISCIII/CB12-03-30038 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCD/EXP 104961 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MCD/EXP 75079 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO/DEP2016-78309-R info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MINECO-FEDER/ISCIII-CB16-10-00477 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/UZCUD2017-BIO-01 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/UZ2021-BIO-05 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess by https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Moradell, Ana Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0003-0330-5558 Gómez-Bruton, Alejandro Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-0520-1640 Matute-Llorente, Ángel Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0001-8500-1667 González-Agüero, Alejandro Casajús, José A. Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-7215-6931 Gómez-Cabello, Alba (orcid)0000-0001-6492-2512 Lozano-Berges, Gabriel Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-0137-9900 Vicente-Rodríguez, Germán Universidad de Zaragoza (orcid)0000-0002-4303-4097 2008 640 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Produc.Animal Cienc.Ali. Área Nutrición Bromatología 1006 245 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Fisiatría y Enfermería Área Educación Física y Depor. 231 (2026), 112183 [17 pp.] Mech. ageing dev. MECHANISMS OF AGEING AND DEVELOPMENT 0047-6374 3248353 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/170931/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada 2429785 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/170931/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada oai:zaguan.unizar.es:170931 articulos driver 2026-04-30-13:57:20 ARTICLE