Relationship between dietary patterns and physical performance in the very old population: a cross-sectional study from the Kawasaki Aging and Wellbeing Project.

OBJECTIVES: As the world's population is ageing, improving the physical performance (PP) of the older population is becoming important. Although diets are fundamental to maintaining and improving PP, few studies have addressed the role of these factors in adults aged ≥ 85 years, and none have been conducted in Asia. This study aimed to determine the dietary patterns (DP) and examine their relationship with PP in this population. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study (Kawasaki Aging and Wellbeing Project) estimated food consumption using a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. The results were adjusted for energy after aggregating into thirty-three groups, excluding possible over- or underestimation. Principal component analysis was used to identify DP, and outcomes included hand grip strength (HGS), timed up-and-go test, and usual walking speed. SETTING: This study was set throughout several hospitals in Kawasaki city. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 1026 community-dwelling older adults (85-89 years) were enrolled. RESULTS: Data of 1000 participants (median age: 86·9 years, men: 49·9 %) were included in the analysis. Three major DP (DP1: various foods, DP2: red meats and coffee, DP3: bread and processed meats) were identified. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the trend of DP2 was negatively associated with HGS (B, 95 % CI -0·35, -0·64, -0·06). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a negative association between HGS and DP characterised by red meats and coffee in older adults aged ≥ 85 years in Japan.

Increased oxidative stress and coenzyme Q10 deficiency in centenarians.

Aging populations are expanding worldwide, and the increasing requirement for nursing care has become a serious problem. Furthermore, successful aging is one of the highest priorities for individuals and societies. Centenarians are an informative cohort to study and inflammation has been found to be a key factor in predicting cognition and physical capabilities. Inflammation scores have been determined based on the levels of cytokines and C-reactive protein, however, serum antioxidants and lipid profiles have not been carefully examined. We found that the redox balance of coenzyme Q10 significantly shifted to the oxidized form and levels of strong antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid and unconjugated bilirubin, decreased significantly compared to 76-year-old controls, indicating an increased oxidative stress in centenarians. Levels of uric acid, an endogenous peroxynitrite scavenger, remained unchanged, suggesting that centenarians were experiencing moderate, chronic inflammatory conditions. Centenarians exhibited a hypocholesterolemic condition, while an increase in the ratio of free cholesterol to cholesterol esters suggests some impairment of liver function. Serum free fatty acids and monoenoic acid composition, markers of tissue oxidative damage, were significantly decreased in centenarians, indicating an impairment in the tissue repair system. Despite an elevation of the coenzyme Q10 binding protein Psap, serum total coenzyme Q10 levels decreased in centenarians. This suggests a serious deficiency of coenzyme Q10 in tissues, since tissue levels of coenzyme Q10 significantly decrease with age. Therefore, coenzyme Q10 supplementation could be beneficial for centenarians.