Increasing Protein Intake to Help Older Adults Increase Muscle Strength and Function: A Pilot, Single-Arm
S S Gropper1, M Exantus1, K L Jackson1
1Christine E Lynn College of Nursing, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA.
JAR Life
|March 16, 2023
Summary
This study shows that nutrition education and protein prescription improved protein intake and muscle function in older adults. Further research is needed to confirm these positive effects on strength and function.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nutritional Science
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Aging is associated with sarcopenia and functional decline.
- Optimizing protein intake is crucial for maintaining muscle mass and strength in older adults.
- Current interventions often lack a comprehensive approach combining education, coaching, and targeted nutritional strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of nutrition education, diet coaching, and a protein prescription (PP) on protein intake in older adults.
- To investigate the association between enhanced protein intake and improvements in muscle strength and physical function.
- To evaluate a 10-week telephone-based intervention combining these strategies.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, pretest-posttest, single-arm study was conducted.
- Participants (n=20, aged 73.3 ± 10.4 years) received 10 weeks of telephone-based diet coaching, nutrition education, and a per-meal protein prescription.
- Measurements included protein/energy intake, weight, grip strength (GS), 5-chair-rise (5CR), timed up and go (TUG), and 3-meter walk (3mW) tests.
Main Results:
- Significant improvements were observed in protein intake per kg body weight (0.8 to 1.2g), per meal (17.2 to 26.4g), and per 100 kcal (3.74 to 5.97g).
- Grip strength increased from 22.4 to 23.4kg.
- Functional measures improved, with TUG time decreasing from 10 to 8s, 3mW from 4 to 3s, and 5CR from 13 to 11s (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
- The combined intervention of nutrition education, diet coaching, and protein prescription positively influenced protein intake and muscle function in older adults.
- This pilot study suggests a promising approach for enhancing muscle health in this population.
- Larger, diverse studies with control groups are warranted to validate these findings and further explore the intervention's effectiveness.
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