The methods to produce the "MIND Diet Score" described in the "Alzheimer's and Dementia" article

"MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging" by Martha Clare Morris, et. al., are applied to the MIND

Diet data collected from the WRAP Participants.  The article is available here: MIND diet slows cognitive aging. 

A copy of the WRAP MIND Diet Questionaire used is also available:  WRAP MIND Assessment.

It is strongly encouraged that Table 1 "MIND diet component and scoring" in the M. C. Morris article and the

WRAP MIND Diet data assessment be studied and compared, especially in terms of food items included and

serving size indications.

The "MIND Diet Score" is calculated via a MS-Access VBA function entitled "MINDScoredValueSumStatistics". 

In addition, there is a second function named "ConvertMINDStringValueToScoredValue" that can return either the

numeric field value or the MIND Scored Value.  The code for these functions are also available:  MIND MS-Access VBA Code.

There were a number of assumptions made in the VBA code regarding differences in the "MIND diet component

servings and scoring" table of the article and the MIND Diet questions asked of WRAP Participants that need to be

addressed.  This is done below.

It should also be noted that the values stored in the "MIND" table of the WRAP Database are in String format. 

The contents of these fields were converted to real numbers where possible.  If the conversion didn't translate

to a real number, or if the resulting number was less than zero, a "999" was used instead, and the

value not used in the "MIND Diet Score" for that WRAP Participant / Visit.  It should also be noted that if

a ">" was found at the beginning of the field, a value of ".2" was added to the converted value, i.e. a field value

of "> 1" was assigned a value of "1.2". Likewise, if a "<" was found at the beginning of the field, a value of ".2"

was subtracted from the converted value, i.e. a field value of "< 1" was assigned a value of ".8".  Any missing

field values were assigned a valueof "999" and were not included in the "MIND Diet Score" calculation.

Green Leafy Vegetables:

In WRAP, these are collected as servings per day.  A factor of seven was used to convert to servings per week. 

Also, the serving size is considered to be 1 cup for leafy vegetables, and 1/2 cup for cooked vegetables.

Other Vegetables:

In WRAP, these are collected as servings per day.  A factor of seven was used to convert to servings per week. 

Also, the serving size is considered to be 1/2 cup.

Berries:

The serving size is 1/2 cup, and includes blueberries and raspberries as well as strawberries.  Also note that anything

between 1 and 2 servings week was assigned a ".50" value.

Nuts:

In WRAP, these are collected as servings per week.  A factor of 4.33 was used to convert to servings per month.  Note also that

a serving here is consider to be a handful, or 1/4-1/3 cup.

Olive Oil:

In the M. C. Morris article, the determinate was if Olive Oil was the "Primary" oil, or not.  There was not a comparable question

in the WRAP MIND Questionaire.  It was decided to compare the amount of Olive Oil consumed and compare it with the

amount of Butter or Creme consumed each day.  If there were valid values reported for both, and if there was more Olive Oil

consumed, then a "1" was used in the calculations.  If there were valid values reported for both, and if there was more Butter or

Creme consumed, then a "0" was used in the calculations. If there was a missing or invalid valid value for either field, then a

"999" was returned, and this category was not used in the MIND Diet Score for that WRAP Participant / Visit.

It should also be noted that neither assessment inquired about other types of cooking oil used, i.e. Canola, Peanut, Vegetable, etc...

Butter, Margarine:

In WRAP, what is collected is the amount of "butter or cream (half and half)" consumed, margarine is not referenced.

Cheese:

In WRAP, what is collected are the servings of "whole fat or regular cheese or creme cheese" consumed.  In the M. C. Morris

article, only "Cheese" is referenced.  The serving size in WRAP is not specified.  Also note that anything

between 1 (inclusive) and 7 servings week was assigned a ".50" value.

Whole Grains:

In the M. C. Morris article, there is a reference to "servings", while in the WRAP assessment, the data collects

"how often" the foods are consumed.  In WRAP, consumption units are considered to be 1 slice bread or

3/4 cup pasta/cereal.  Also note that anything between 1 (inclusive) and 3 servings per day was assigned a ".50" value.

Fish (Not Fried):

Note that "Rarely" was interpreted here to mean less than once a month.  Also a conversion factor of

4.33 was used to convert weeks to months.  The WRAP data does not include shellfish.  We are also

equating "meals" in the M. C. Morris article with "servings" in WRAP, which is 3 oz.  Also note that

any amount reported greater than one meal per month, and less than one meal per week was assigned a

".50" value.

Beans:

Note that we are equating "meals" in the M. C. Morris article with "servings" in WRAP, which is 1/2 cup.

Poultry (Not Fried):

Note that we are equating "meals" in the M. C. Morris article with "servings" in WRAP, which is 3 oz.  In

addition, there is no reference to "poultry" in the WRAP assessment, only "chicken".  For the purposes of

this calculation, we are equating the two.  Also note that anything between 1 (inclusive) and 2 servings per

week was assigned a ".50" value.

Red Meat and Products:

Note that we are equating "meals" in the M. C. Morris article with "servings" in WRAP, which is 3 oz. 

Also note that anything between 4 (inclusive) and 7 servings per week was assigned a ".50" value.

Fast Fried Foods:

Note that we are equating "Fast fried foods" in the M. C. Morris article with food from a fast food

restaurant in the WRAP assessment.  Our assumption is that food from a fast food restaurant

will involve fried food consumption, which may not be totally correct.  Also note that anything

between 1 (inclusive) and 4 visits per week was assigned a ".50" value.

Pastries and Sweets:

Note that we are equating "servings" in the M. C. Morris article with "how often do you consume"

in WRAP.  Also note that anything between 5 (inclusive) and 7 frequency per week was assigned

a ".50" value.

Wine:

Note that we are equating "glasses" of Wine in the M. C. Morris article with "servings of alcohol"

in WRAP.  Also note that for a number of alcohol servings per day of exactly one was assigned a

"1.0" value, if the number of servings of alcohol was greater than one or exactly zero, a value of

"0.0" was assigned, else a value of ".50" was assigned.

MIND Scored Value Sum Statistics Produced

The VBA function "MINDScoredValueSumStatistics" produces the "Straight Sum", "Extrapolated Sum"

and "Number Items Missing" return values.

The "Straight Sum" is just the Sum of the Scored Values for each of the "Diet Components"

present. 

The "Extrapolated Sum" takes into account any missing "Diet Component", and then computes

a straight linear Extrapolated Sum based on the Scores present and number of items present.  For

example, if there were three Diet Components missing, and the Sum of all Scores present

was 6.5, then the Extrapolated Sum would be calculated as follows:  (6.5 / 12) * 15 = 8.125.

The "Number Items Missing" is just what it seems, a count of the number of "Diet Component"s

missing.

Further Contact

If you have any further questions about the methodology, the function logic or anything

else described here, please feel free to contact Rebecca Koscik (Senior Scientist) or

Allen Wenzel (Research Data Specialist) at the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute (WAI),

home of WRAP.