Higher Levels of Physical Activity Are Associated with Greater Fruit and Vegetable intake in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: High levels of physical activity (PA) and optimal nutrition independently improve healthy aging, but few data are available about how PA may influence food preferences in older populations. Therefore, the aim of our study was to establish if there is an association between habitual PA and intake of nutrient-dense foods (i.e. fruits and vegetables). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. SETTING: The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: 2466 older adults (56% male, age 62±9 yr). MEASUREMENTS: PA was assessed using the short questionnaire to assess health (SQUASH) and participants were classified into quintiles of weekly PA (MET-h/wk). Total fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and were corrected for energy intake (g/kcal/d) in the analyses. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the association between PA and fruit and vegetable intake, including covariates. RESULTS: Being in the higher quintiles of PA (Q3, Q4 and Q5) was positively associated with more daily fruit and vegetable consumption, even after correction for total energy intake (Q3; ß=0.089, P<0.001, Q4; ß=0.047, P=0.024, Q5; ß=0.098, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults who are moderately to highly physically active tend to consume more fruit and vegetable compared to less active peers, when corrected for total energy intake. Female gender, under- and overreporting dietary intake (Goldberg score), non-smoking, high level of education, less alcohol consumption and a lower body mass index positivity affected this relationship. Our data will help health-care professionals to accelerate their efforts to treat and prevent chronic diseases.

Relationship between intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 and folate in 873 adults with a physically active lifestyle: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin B12 and folate function as co-factors in pathways used during physical activity. Physical activity may therefore increase vitamin requirements, leading to a risk of deficient plasma concentrations. We aimed to investigate the relationship between intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 and folate in physically active adults, as well as identify other determinants of vitamin B12 and folate plasma concentrations. METHODS: The study population consisted of 873 adults (528 men and 345 women), aged 19-78 years, who participated in a 4-day walking event. The relationship between intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 and folate was assessed using correlation and linear regression analyses. In addition, potential other determinants (sex, age, body mass index, energy intake and physical activity) of vitamin plasma concentrations were investigated. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were observed between intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 [Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.08-0.21] and folate (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.12-0.25). In addition to vitamin intake, sex, age and energy intake were also determinants of both vitamin B12 and folate plasma concentrations in multivariable regression models. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a positive association between intake and plasma concentrations for both vitamin B12 and folate in physically active people. By contrast to our hypothesis, physical activity was not a determinant of vitamin B12 and folate plasma concentrations. However, sex, age and energy intake were found to be determinants. Thus, when studying the relationship between intake and plasma concentrations of vitamin B12 or folate, these factors should be taken into account.

Determinants of vitamin D status in physically active elderly in the Netherlands.

PURPOSE: Vitamin D deficiencies are common in elderly, which increases the risk for, e.g., bone fractures. Identification of determinants of vitamin D status may provide leads for specific deficiency prevention strategies. Although determinants of vitamin D status have been studied in various populations, this has not been examined in elderly that have a physically active lifestyle. METHODS: Vitamin D status of 450 physically active elderly who do not use vitamin D supplements was determined and information on possible determinants (demographic, dietary intake and physical activity) was collected around a prolonged four day walking event in July and analyzed in linear regression models. RESULTS: The average summertime serum 25(OH)D concentration was 88.8 ± 22.4 nmol/L. Only 2% of the participants had a 25(OH)D concentration below 50 nmol/L. Dietary intake of vitamin D was 4.0 ± 1.9 µg/day, and the participants spent 12.4 ± 8.6 h/week on outdoor activities. In the multivariate model, lower age (= - 0.48, 95% CI - 0.80 to - 0.16), lower BMI (= - 0.86, 95% CI - 1.62 to - 0.10), being a moderate to high drinker versus a non-drinker (= 7.97, 95% CI 0.43-15.51) and more outdoor physical activity (= 0.25, 95% CI 0.01-0.50) were significantly associated with higher 25(OH)D concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: In physically active elderly, vitamin D status was very high in summertime, with few deficiencies, suggesting that elderly with a physical active lifestyle might not necessarily need supplements during the summer period. Lower age, lower BMI, higher alcohol intake and more outdoor physical activity had a significant association with vitamin D status.

Insufficient Protein Intakes is Highly Prevalent among Physically Active Elderly.

OBJECTIVES: Sufficient protein intake and habitual physical activity are key factors in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia. In the present study, we assessed habitual dietary protein intake and the contribution of animal proteins in male versus female physically active elderly and identified determinants of protein intake. DESIGN: a cross-sectional study. SETTING: the study was performed within the Nijmegen Exercise Study. PARTICIPANTS: physically active elderly ≥ 65 yrs. MEASUREMENTS: Physical activity was assessed using the SQUASH questionnaire and expressed in Metabolic Equivalent of Task hours per week (METhr/wk). Dietary protein intake was determined using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to determine whether age, sex, educational level, smoking, alcohol intake and physical activity were associated with protein intake (g/kg/d). RESULTS: A total of 910 participants (70±4 yrs, 70% male) were included and reported a habitual physical activity level of 85.0±53.5 METhr/wk. Protein intake was 1.1±0.3 g/kg/d with 57% animal-based proteins for males, and 1.2±0.3 g/kg/d with 59% animalbased proteins for females (both P<0.05). In total, 16%, 42% and 67% of the male elderly and 10%, 34% and 56% of the female elderly did not meet the recommended protein intake of 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 g/kg/d, respectively. Female sex (ß=0.055, P=0.036) and more physical activity (ß=0.001, P=0.001) were associated with a higher daily protein intake (g/kg/d). CONCLUSION: The majority of physically active elderly and in particular males (i.e. 67%) does not reach a protein intake of 1.2 g/kg/d, which may offset the health benefits of an active lifestyle on muscle synthesis and prevention of sarcopenia. Intervention studies are warranted to assess whether protein supplementation may enhance muscle mass and strength in physically active elderly.