Abstract
Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is inversely associated with sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to examine the association between adherence to a MedDiet and sarcopenic symptomology in obese older adults. For confirmation of sarcopenia, low appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM: males, ≤7.25kg/m2; females, ≤5.5kg/m2) accompanied low handgrip strength (males, ≤30kg; females, ≤20kg) or low physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB]: ≤8; or gait speed: ≤0.8m/sec). Adherence to a MedDiet was determined using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Sixty-five older adults were included. Adherence to a MedDiet was not associated with a decreased risk of sarcopenic symptomology (SPPB: OR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.01-3.1; P = 0.234; Muscle strength: OR = 1.81; 95% CI: 0.32-10.15; P = 0.499; Gait speed: OR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.13-2.50; P = 0.468). Future research should investigate whether a Mediterranean-style intervention can prevent or improve sarcopenic symptomology, including in non-Mediterranean populations.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Janssen I, Heymsfield SB, Wang Z, Ross R. Skeletal muscle mass and distribution in 468 men and women aged 18–88 yr. J Applied Physiol 2000;89(1):81–88.
Zamboni M, Mazzali G, Fantin F, Rossi A, Di Francesco V. Sarcopenic obesity: a new category of obesity in the elderly. Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases 2008;18(5):388–395.
Milte CM, McNaughton SA. Dietary patterns and successful ageing: a systematic review. Eur J Nutr 2016;55(2):423–450.
McClure R, Villani A. Mediterranean Diet attenuates risk of frailty and sarcopenia: New insights and future directions. JCSM Clinical Reports 2017;2(2): doi:10.17987/jcsm-cr.v2i2.45.
Kojima G, Avgerinou C, Iliffe S, Walters K. Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Reduces Incident Frailty Risk: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Am Geriatr Soc 2018; doi: 10.1111/jgs.15251.
Villani A, Wright H, Slater G, Buckley J. A randomised controlled intervention study investigating the efficacy of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables and extra-virgin olive oil on attenuating sarcopenic symptomology in overweight and obese older adults during energy intake restriction: protocol paper. BMC Geriatrics 2018;18(1); doi:10.1186/s12877-017-0700-4.
Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Baeyens JP, Bauer JM, et al. Sarcopenia: European consensus on definition and diagnosis: Report of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People. Age and Ageing 2010;39(4):412–423.
Batsis JA, Barre LK, Mackenzie TA, Pratt SI, Lopez-Jimenez F, Bartels SJ. Variation in the prevalence of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in older adults associated with different research definitions: dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004. J Am Geriatr Soc 2013;61(6):974–980.
Dufour AB, Hannan MT, Murabito JM, Kiel DP, McLean RR. Sarcopenia definitions considering body size and fat mass are associated with mobility limitations: the Framingham Study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2012;68(2):168–174.
Schröder H, Fitó M, Estruch R, et al. A short screener is valid for assessing Mediterranean diet adherence among older Spanish men and women. Journal of Nutrition 2011;141(6):1140–1145.
Rolland Y, Czerwinski S, Van Kan GA, et al. Sarcopenia: its assessment, etiology, pathogenesis, consequences and future perspectives. J Nutr Health Ageing 2008;12(7):433–450.
Bowen TS, Schuler G, Adams V. Skeletal muscle wasting in cachexia and sarcopenia: molecular pathophysiology and impact of exercise training. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2015;6(3):197–207.
Batsis J, Cook S. Is the whole not greater than the sum of its parts? The case of sarcopenic obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(1):14–15.
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the participants who participated in the study. We also greatly thank two undergraduate nutrition students, Ms Justine Ashton and Ms Kyla Waters, who were undertaking a research placement for their contribution toward data collection at baseline. A final thanks to Ms Ava Kerr for technical support associated with the assessment of body composition. JB and AV were responsible for the study conception and design. AS and AV were responsible for the collection of data, performing statistical analysis and interpretation of the data. All authors read and contributed to the final manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stanton, A., Buckley, J. & Villani, A. Adherence to a Mediterranean Diet is Not Associated with Risk of Sarcopenic Symptomology: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Overweight and Obese Older Adults in Australia. J Frailty Aging 8, 146–149 (2019). https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2018.46
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14283/jfa.2018.46