Digital-Assisted Nutritional Monitoring and Body Composition Changes in Aging Adults: A 6-Month Controlled...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Nutritional Science
• Digital Health Interventions
• Body Composition Analysis

Background:

• Aging increases adiposity, sarcopenia risk, and metabolic vulnerability.
• Digital tools show promise for nutritional adherence but their effect on body composition needs more research.
• Understanding these impacts is crucial for developing effective interventions for older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a digitally assisted nutritional monitoring program on body composition in middle-aged and older adults.
• To assess changes in body fat, muscle mass, and hydration status over a 6-month intervention period.
• To explore the role of multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in monitoring nutritional interventions.

Main Methods:

• A 6-month prospective controlled longitudinal study involving 60 adults.
• Participants used smartwatches and smart scales; the intervention group received monthly remote feedback.
• Body composition was assessed using multi-frequency BIA, with statistical analyses including linear mixed-effects models.

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in Body Mass Index (BMI), fat mass, and visceral fat were observed (p < 0.001).
• The sarcopenic index improved (p = 0.001), while skeletal muscle mass remained stable; extracellular water (ECW) increased (p = 0.010).
• Age was inversely associated with improvement magnitude; visceral fat reduction was time-dependent and independent of age/sex.

Conclusions:

• A 6-month digital nutrition monitoring program positively influenced adiposity, muscle quality, and hydration in aging adults.
• Multi-frequency BIA is valuable for tracking nutritional interventions in aging populations.
• Digitally assisted programs can support favorable body composition changes during aging.