Nutrition and Healthy Aging - Volume 5, issue 4

Authors: Kumar, Sandeep | Peterson, Timothy R.

Article Type: Review Article

Abstract:  As the global population ages, there is increased interest in living longer and improving one’s quality of life in later years. However, studying aging – the decline in body function – is expensive and time-consuming. And despite research success to make model organisms live longer, there still aren’t really any feasible solutions for delaying aging in humans. With space travel, scientists and engineers couldn’t know what it would take to get to the moon. They had to extrapolate from theory and shorter-range tests. Perhaps with aging, we need a similar moonshot philosophy. And though “shot” might imply medicine, perhaps we …need to think beyond medical interventions. Like the moon once was, we seem a long way away from provable therapies to increase human healthspan (the healthy period of one’s life) or lifespan (how long one lives). This review therefore focuses on radical proposals. We hope it might stimulate discussion on what we might consider doing significantly differently than ongoing aging research. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/NHA-190064

Citation: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 239-246, 2020

Authors: Garratt, Michael

Article Type: Review Article

Abstract: Males and females typically have different lifespans and frequently differ in their responses to anti-aging interventions. These sex-specific responses are documented in mice and Drosophila species, in addition to other organisms where interventions have been tested. While the prevalence of sex-specific responses to anti-aging interventions is now recognised, the underlying causes remain poorly understood. This review first summarises the main pathways and interventions that lead to sex-specific lifespan responses, including the growth-hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 (GH-IGF1) axis, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling, and nutritional and pharmacological interventions. After summarising current evidence, several different potential causes for sex-specific responses …are discussed. These include sex-differences in xenobiotic metabolism, differing disease susceptibility, sex-specific hormone production and chromosomes, and the relative importance of different signalling pathways in the control of male and female life-history. Understanding why sex-differences in lifespan-extension occur should provide a greater understanding of the mechanisms that regulate the aging process in each sex, and will be crucial for understanding the full implications of these treatments if they are translated to humans. Show more

DOI: 10.3233/NHA-190067

Citation: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 247-259, 2020

Authors: Santiago-Torres, Margarita | Shi, Zaixing | Tinker, Lesley F. | Lampe, Johanna W. | Allison, Matthew A. | Barrington, Wendy | Crane, Tracy E. | Garcia, David O. | Hayden, Kathleen M. | Isasi, Carmen R. | Valdiviezo-Schlomp, Carolina I. | Martin, Lisa W. | Neuhouser, Marian L.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is higher among minority populations, including individuals of Mexican ethnic descent. Whether alignment to healthy dietary patterns is associated with lower risk of metabolic syndrome in this population is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the associations between a priori diet quality scores and risk of metabolic syndrome and its components among postmenopausal women of Mexican ethnic descent. METHODS: A total of 334 women of Mexican ethnic descent who participated in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) observational study without metabolic syndrome or diabetes at baseline (1993–1998) were included. Baseline …diets were scored with the Alternate Mediterranean Diet (aMED), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010), the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), and the traditional Mexican Diet (MexD) score. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were used to test the associations between baseline diet quality and risk of metabolic syndrome and its individual components at follow-up (2012-2013). RESULTS: Approximately 16% of women met the criteria for metabolic syndrome at follow-up. None of the diet quality indices were associated with risk of metabolic syndrome. However, higher vs lower DASH scores were associated with lower waist circumference (85.2 vs 88.0 cm) and glucose concentrations (90.0 vs 95.1 mg/dL), and higher HDL cholesterol (62.6 vs 59.0 mg/dL), while higher vs lower HEI-2010 scores were associated with lower waist circumference (83.9 vs 88.1 cm), triglycerides (103 vs 117 mg/dL) and glucose concentrations (89.5 vs 94.4 mg/dL), and higher HDL cholesterol levels (63.9 vs 58.5 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: Diet quality was not associated with risk of metabolic syndrome in this population. However, the results suggest that alignment to DASH and HEI-2010 recommendations may be beneficial for reducing some individual components of metabolic syndrome among postmenopausal women of Mexican descent. Show more

Keywords: aMED, DASH, diet quality indices, dietary patterns, HEI, Mediterranean Diet Score, MDS, MexD score, metabolic syndrome, traditional Mexican diet, women of Mexican descent, WHI

DOI: 10.3233/NHA-190076

Citation: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 261-272, 2020

Authors: D’Cunha, Nathan M. | Foscolou, Alexandra | Tyrovolas, Stefanos | Chrysohoou, Christina | Rallidis, Loukianos | Polychronopoulos, Evangelos | Matalas, Antonia-Leda | Sidossis, Labros S. | Naumovski, Nenad | Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The potential for diet to prevent and treat mental health conditions is an exciting area of investigation; however, the impact of different protein sources on mental health outcomes is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between dietary protein intake and psychological distress, in people aged >50 years of age, living in Greece. METHODS: A combined data set of older people living in the Athens metropolitan area and 20 Greek islands, from the ATTICA (n  = 1,128) and MEDIS (n  = 2,221) population-based cross-sectional studies was developed. Anthropometric, clinical and socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics, and protein consumption (total, …animal, plant) consumed based on validated FFQ, were derived through standard procedures and questionnaires. “Psychological distress” (PDS) was assessed as a combined variable representing symptoms of depression and anxiety using Item Response Theory methodology and fitting a Graded Response Model. RESULTS: Animal protein, but not plant protein intake, was associated with higher PDS following adjustment for age, sex, education level, Mediterranean diet adherence and physical activity (b ±SE: 0.399±0.090, p  = 0.003). Following analysis by Mediterranean diet adherence level, among low adherers, animal protein intake was positively associated with PDS (b ±SE: 1.119±0.174, p  = 0.003), and no associations were observed in moderate or high adherence groupsin regards to plant protein intake and PDS. CONCLUSIONS: Animal protein intake is associated with PDS, suggesting a bi-directional relationship, which may be influenced by Mediterranean diet adherence. Show more

Keywords: Mediterranean diet, dietary proteins, meat, vegetables, depression, anxiety, mental health

DOI: 10.3233/NHA-190079

Citation: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 273-285, 2020

Authors: Foscolou, Alexandra | Critselis, Elena | Tyrovolas, Stefanos | Chrysohoou, Christina | Naumovski, Nenad | Rallidis, Loukianos | Polychronopoulos, Evangelos | Matalas, Antonia-Leda | Sidossis, Labros S. | Panagiotakos, Demosthenes

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The association between sodium intake and successful aging is not elucidated to date. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between sodium intake and successful aging, in people aged >50 years, living in Greece. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in middle aged and older adult participants of the ATTICA (n  = 1,128) and MEDIS (n  = 2,221) epidemiological studies. Anthropometric, clinical, socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics derived through standard procedures and questionnaires. Sodium intake was measured based on the USDA Food Composition database; table salt or salt from processed foods were not evaluated. Successful aging was assessed using the …Successful Aging Index (SAI, range 0–10, higher values indicating higher successful aging) comprising of health-related, social, lifestyle and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Participants with ≥1500 mg/day sodium intake had 20.2% on average lower SAI score compared to those with <1500 mg/day sodium intake; stratification by sex and age revealed that in both females and males high sodium intake (≥1900 mg/day) was also inversely associated with SAI compared to low sodium intake (<1300 mg/day); this association was more evident among older males (high vs. low: >70-males/>70-females, –90% vs. 82.5%, p  < 0 .001 ) and overweight/obese participants (high vs. low: overweight/obese/normal weight, –59% vs. –35%, p ’s  < 0 .05 ). CONCLUSIONS: Daily sodium intake of <1500 mg seems to be a key factor for achieving successful aging. Public health nutrition policies should enforce their actions on reducing sodium intake by people of all ages. Show more

Keywords: Sodium, salt, successful aging, middle-aged adults, older adults, Mediterranean

DOI: 10.3233/NHA-190080

Citation: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 287-296, 2020

Authors: Gatti, S. | Carugi, M. | Palermo, V. | Casellato, C. | Gambini, C. | Zuin, M. | Priori, A. | Cova, I.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Several studies have found a link between nutritional status and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to assess both nutritional status and dietary habits of PD patients with respect to controls and to compare disease progression in relation to dietary habits, such as protein distribution diet (PRD) adherence. METHODS: We collected anthropometric measurements, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score, dietary habits, micro- and macronutrients intakes, body composition by Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA), muscle strength and gait speed of 66 PD patients and 58 controls (40 healthy controls and …18 subjects with essential tremor). Clinical scales and progression indexes were recorded in PD group. RESULTS: No significant differences emerged between PD and controls in anthropometric and BIA measurements; a comparable dietary intake between the two groups was recorded. Sarcopenia and dynapenia were comparable between the two groups. PD resulted more at risk of malnutrition than controls to MNA, only three patients and one control were malnourished. A notable inverse correlation was observed between MNA and PD Questionnaire 8. PD following a PRD showed a slower progression index. CONCLUSION: Nutritional status of PD patients is not so different from elderly controls. PRD is recommended for patients with PD. Show more

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, nutritional status, feeding behavior

DOI: 10.3233/NHA-200083

Citation: Nutrition and Healthy Aging, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 297-305, 2020