Longitudinal Effects of a Nutritional Intervention and Exercise Program on Trunk Muscle Mass in Older Adults: A...

This preliminary study aimed to investigate six-month longitudinal changes in upper limb, lower limb, and trunk muscle mass, as well as gait speed and handgrip strength, in older adults receiving a nutritional intervention and rehabilitation.

This longitudinal study included 18 community-dwelling older adults (age 80.4 ± 3.8 years) attending a daycare facility. Participants received a nutritional supplement drink and an individualized exercise program consisting of resistance training and cycle ergometer exercise. Upper limb, lower limb, and trunk muscle mass (using bioelectrical impedance analysis), maximal gait speed, and handgrip strength were measured at baseline, three months, and six months. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA).

A repeated measures ANOVA showed significant change over time in both trunk muscle mass and upper limb muscle mass (p < 0.05). Post hoc tests confirmed that the increase in trunk muscle mass was significant between baseline and six months, whereas no significant pairwise differences were found for upper limb muscle mass. No significant changes were observed for the other variables.

This preliminary study suggests that a six-month combined nutritional and exercise intervention may significantly increase trunk muscle mass in older adults requiring daycare. These findings highlight the potential importance of targeting trunk muscles in rehabilitation nutrition strategies and warrant further investigation in larger, controlled studies.