Brain Injury: How Dietary Patterns Impact Long-Term Outcomes

While there is extensive literature on the immediate nutrition goals in the inpatient setting following an acute TBI exposure, there is limited literature discussing the nature of diet and nutrition in the post-acute setting. Fortunately, most individuals with TBI exposure survive their initial injury and continue into the recovery phase. The scientific literature supports increased morbidity and mortality with chronic TBI exposure compared to matched counterparts, most notably with CVD. A diet rich in fiber and nutrients but limited in added sugars, saturated fats, and excess calories would likely have the greatest cardiovascular and related neurologic protection. Future studies are needed to assess the specific impact of dietary interventions in the chronic phase of brain injury recovery.