Culture-sensitive lifestyle intervention tailored to non-Western migrant older adults improves physical performance:...

To counteract sarcopenia in non-Western migrant older adults, lifestyle interventions with increased physical activity and adequate dietary protein intake are promising. However, regular community-based lifestyle interventions often lack a culture-sensitive approach. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a newly developed culture-sensitive lifestyle intervention on physical performance in non-Western Surinamese older adults.

A randomized controlled trial.

This study was conducted with 65 non-Western migrant participants (Surinamese, 65 ± 7 y, 91% female, 82% overweight or obese).

The participants were allocated to the culture-sensitive lifestyle intervention (n = 35) or control group (n = 30). The six-month intervention consisted of an exercise training program and a nutritional program, both adapted to the cultural and personal needs of the participants.

The primary outcome was physical performance, measured by 6-minute walking test. Secondary outcomes were timed-up-and-go, 30-seconds chair stand, knee-extension strength, single leg stand tests, appendicular lean soft tissue mass, fat mass, protein intake and daily physical activity. Linear mixed models were performed to assess intervention effects with significance set at p < 0.05.

The intervention group improved physical performance by 12% from baseline 440 ± 62 m to 6 months 492 ± 73 m compared to 8% in control group from 438 ± 93 m to 471 ± 66 m (+25.5 m, 95%CI (3.2;47.9), p = 0.027). Knee-extension strength was significantly better maintained in the intervention group from 273 ± 71 N to 270 ± 70 N, whereas the control group decreased knee-extension strength by 8% at six months from 262 ± 78 N to 240 ± 87 N (+19 N, 95%CI (1-38), p = 0.040). The intervention group significantly increased protein intake more (from 63 ± 21 to 78 ± 38 g/day) compared to the control group (from 72 ± 25 to 78 ± 29 g/day) at three months (+15 g/day, 95%CI (1;28), p = 0.035). No difference between groups was found for physical activity or the other secondary outcomes.

In non-Western migrant Surinamese older adults, a culture-sensitive lifestyle intervention improved physical performance, protein intake, and maintained muscle strength, presenting a promising approach to manage sarcopenia risk in this population.

Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06407583).