Chronic intake patterns during the adult years and the acute ingestion of meals or foods influence cognitive performance in seniors. Many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension, which are risk factors for cognitive impairment and/or dementia, share the same dietary risk factors as those for cognitive impairment. Conversely, acute macronutrient and/or food consumption improves performance on cognitive tasks. While consumption of all macronutrients enhances cognitive performance, the benefits of carbohydrate intake appear more sustained in comparison to fat and protein.