The Alternative Healthy Eating Index and Physical Function Impairment in Men

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Nutritional Science
• Epidemiology of Aging
• Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Background:

• Physical function is crucial for maintaining mobility and independence in older adults.
• Identifying strategies to prevent physical function decline is essential for healthy aging.
• Diet quality is a modifiable factor that may influence physical function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between overall diet quality, using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI), and physical function impairment in older men.
• To identify specific dietary components and foods associated with better physical function.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal cohort study of 12,658 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (2008-2012).
• Diet quality assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI), comprising 11 dietary components.
• Physical function impairment measured using the SF-36; multivariable logistic regression used to analyze associations.

Main Results:

• Higher AHEI scores were significantly associated with lower odds of physical function impairment (OR=0.90 per 10-point increase).
• Men in the top quintile of AHEI scores had 26% lower odds of impairment compared to the bottom quintile (OR=0.74).
• Specific dietary components like higher vegetable, nut, and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake, and lower red/processed meat and sugar-sweetened beverage intake were linked to reduced impairment risk.

Conclusions:

• Better overall diet quality, as indicated by the AHEI, is significantly associated with a lower likelihood of physical function impairment in older men.
• This finding provides a strong public health rationale for encouraging older men to adopt healthier dietary patterns to support physical function and quality of life.
• Specific food groups such as vegetables, nuts, and certain healthy fats may play a key role in maintaining physical function.