Body Composition, Physical Function, and Dietary Patterns in People from 20 to Over 80 Years Old

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science
• Human Physiology

Background:

• Diet plays a crucial role in age-related physiological changes.
• Understanding dietary patterns is essential for maintaining body composition and physical function during aging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct dietary patterns in an adult population.
• To examine the associations between these dietary patterns and body composition, physical performance, and grip strength.
• To analyze these relationships across different age and sex groups.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 470 participants (63% female, median age 56).
• Dietary patterns (Mediterranean-like, Animal products, Sugar and fast food) identified using principal component analysis.
• Body composition assessed by DXA (fat mass, lean mass).
• Physical performance measured by gait speed, chair rise, Short Physical Performance Battery, and handgrip strength.
• Statistical analysis using multivariate linear regressions stratified by sex and age groups (20-49, 50-64, 65+).

Main Results:

• Younger individuals favored "Sugar and fast food" diets; middle-aged and older women preferred "Mediterranean-like" diets.
• Men shifted from "Sugar and fast food" in middle age to "Animal products" later in life.
• "Mediterranean-like" diet associated with lower BMI and body fat in middle-aged men.
• "Animal products" diet linked to higher lean mass in middle-aged women, increased trunk fat in young men, and varied strength outcomes.
• "Sugar and fast food" diet associated with higher body fat in middle-aged men but lower in older men.

Conclusions:

• Diets rich in sugar, fast food, and processed meat correlate with increased fat mass and decreased strength.
• Men exhibit a higher prevalence of less healthy dietary intake across all age categories.
• Dietary choices have significant, sex- and age-dependent impacts on body composition and physical function.