Impact of Dietary Choices on Muscle Strength and Mobility in the Elderly
Elderly individuals attending a frailty clinic participated in a study exploring how different food groups influence muscle strength and mobility over one year. The research highlighted that high consumption of sugars, sweeteners, and certain beverages exacerbated declines in muscle strength and increased the duration it took participants to complete physical activities like standing from a chair. Conversely, diets rich in legumes, fruits, and green-yellow vegetables were linked to better muscle mass and quicker mobility.
Analyzing 165 elderly participants, the study used food diaries and various physical tests to gauge changes in muscle strength and speed. Notably, individuals indulging in sugary and sweetened foods faced a notable decline in handgrip strength and increased times in chair standing tests, revealing the negative impact of such diets on physical function. Meanwhile, those who consumed more beneficial foods like legumes and fruits showed improvements in muscle mass and mobility, suggesting that dietary adjustments could play a crucial role in managing age-related muscle deterioration.
This research underscores the significant influence of diet on physical aging processes. It calls for an increased awareness and dietary adjustments in the elderly to mitigate mobility and muscle issues, providing a blueprint for dietary recommendations in geriatric care practices. This could potentially lead to improved life quality and reduced healthcare interventions among the aging population.
Article Information
Association of food group with the changes in sarcopenia parameters over 1 year in older outpatients in a frailty clinic
Published in European Geriatric Medicine. Takagi S. et al.
Abstract
Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between food group and the changes in sarcopenia parameters in 1 year among older outpatients.
Methods: A prospective cohort study conducted between July 2017 and April 2021 included patients aged ≥ 65 years attending a frailty clinic. Food group consumption adjusted for energy and body weight was conducted using a self-administered dietary history questionnaire. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between tertiles of adjusted food group consumption and outcomes, including a handgrip strength decline, prolonged five-time chair stand test (5CST), decreased skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and decreased gait speed in 1 year. Covariates included age, sex, height, energy intake, number of comorbidities, and the Baecke activity score.
Results: In the analysis of 165 participants (mean age 77.6 ± 6.1 years, 107 women), individuals with higher consumption of sugar and sweeteners had a significantly increased risk for handgrip strength decline (OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.15-5.23, P = 0.020) and prolonged 5CST (OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.38-7.13, P = 0.006). Higher consumption of beverages increased the risk of handgrip strength decline (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.11-4.76, P = 0.025). Conversely, higher legume consumption decreased the risk of SMI reduction (OR 0.35, 95%CI 0.16-0.76, P = 0.008), higher fruit consumption reduced the risk of prolonged 5CST time (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.13-0.67, P = 0.004), and higher green yellow vegetables consumption decreased the risk of reduced gait speed (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.17-0.84, P = 0.017).
Conclusion: Sugar, sweeteners, and beverages are associated with worsened sarcopenia parameters, whereas consumption of legumes, vegetables, and fruits is associated with a lower risk.
Keywords: Five-time chair stand test; Food consumption; Gait speed; Handgrip strength; Skeletal muscle mass index.
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