Insufficient Protein Intakes is Highly Prevalent among Physically Active Elderly

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Nutritional Science
• Exercise Physiology
• Muscle Metabolism

Background:

• Sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, is a significant health concern in the elderly.
• Adequate protein intake and physical activity are crucial for preventing and managing sarcopenia.
• Understanding protein consumption patterns in active older adults is essential for optimizing muscle health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess habitual dietary protein intake in physically active elderly men and women.
• To determine the contribution of animal proteins to the overall protein intake.
• To identify factors associated with protein intake in this population.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study within the Nijmegen Exercise Study involving physically active elderly (≥65 years).
• Physical activity assessed using the SQUASH questionnaire (METhr/wk).
• Dietary protein intake evaluated via a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ); multivariate regression used to identify determinants.

Main Results:

• 910 participants (70±4 yrs, 70% male) reported high physical activity levels (85.0±53.5 METhr/wk).
• Average protein intake was 1.1±0.3 g/kg/d (males) and 1.2±0.3 g/kg/d (females), with ~57-59% from animal sources.
• A significant proportion of elderly, especially males (67%), did not meet the 1.2 g/kg/d protein recommendation.

Conclusions:

• The majority of physically active elderly, particularly males, do not achieve optimal protein intake levels (1.2 g/kg/d).
• This shortfall may counteract the benefits of physical activity for muscle synthesis and sarcopenia prevention.
• Further intervention studies are recommended to explore protein supplementation's efficacy in enhancing muscle mass and strength in active older adults.