Association between diet quality and malnutrition: pooled results from two population-based studies in older adults.

BACKGROUND: The role of diet quality on malnutrition in older adults is uncertain, due the paucity of the research conducted and the use of use of screening tools that did not consider phenotypic criteria of malnutrition. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of two indices of diet quality, namely the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010), with malnutrition among community-dwelling older adults in Spain. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of data from 1921 adults aged ≥ 60 years from the Seniors-ENRICA-1 (SE-1) study, and 2652 adults aged ≥ 65 years from the Seniors-ENRICA-2 (SE-2) study. Habitual food consumption was assessed through a validated diet history. Malnutrition was defined according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) phenotypic criteria. Statistical analyses were performed with logistic regression with adjustment for socioeconomic and lifestyle variables as well as for total energy and protein intake. RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition in the SE-1 study was 9.5% (95% confidence interval: 8.2 to 10.9) and 11.7% (10.5 to 13.9) in the SE-2. Adherence to the MEDAS score was associated with lower prevalence of malnutrition [pooled odds ratio for high (≥ 9 points) vs. low adherence (< 7 points): 0.64 (0.48-0.84); p-trend < 0.001]. Higher adherence to the AHEI-2010 also showed an inverse association with malnutrition (pooled odds ratio for quartile 4 vs. 1: 0.65 (0.49-0.86); p-trend 0.006). Among the individual components, higher consumption of fish and long-chain n-3 fatty acids in MEDAS and AHEI-2010, and of vegetables and nuts and legumes in AHEI-2010, and lower intake of trans-fat and sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juice in AHEI-2010 were independently associated with lower odds of malnutrition. CONCLUSION: Adherence to high diet-quality patterns was associated with lower frequency of malnutrition among older adults. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02804672. June 17, 2016.; ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03541135. May 30, 2018.

Plant-based diets and risk of multimorbidity: The Health and Retirement Study.

BACKGROUND: Plant-based diets have gained attention due to their beneficial effects against major chronic diseases, though its association with multimorbidity is mostly unknow. OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between the healthful (hPDI) and unhealthful plant-based diet indices (uPDI) with multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults from the U.S. METHODS: Data on 4,262 adults over 50 years was drawn from the 2012-2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and 2013 Health Care and Nutrition Study (HCNS). Food consumption was collected at baseline with a food frequency questionnaire and two plant-based diet indices were derived: the hPDI, with positive scores for healthy plant foods and reverse scores for less healthy plant foods and animal foods; and the uPDI, with only positive scoring for less healthy plant foods. Complex multimorbidity, defined as ≥3 co-existent conditions, was ascertained with 8 self-reported conditions: hypertension, diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and depression. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 7.8 years, we documented 1,202 incident cases of multimorbidity. Compared with the lowest quartile, higher adherence to the hPDI was inversely associated with multimorbidity [HR (95% CI) for quartiles 3 and 4 were 0.77 (0.62-0.96) and 0.79 (0.63-0.98) respectively, p trend=0.02]. In addition, a 10-point increment in the hPDI was associated with a 11% lower incidence of multimorbidity (95% CI: 1%-20%). No significant associations were found for the uPDI after adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. CONCLUSIONS: Higher adherence to the hPDI was inversely associated with multimorbidity among middle-age and older adults. Plant-based diets that emphasize consumption of high-quality plant foods may help prevent the development of complex multimorbidity.

Numerical values and impact of hypertension in Spain.

In Spain, 33% of adults aged 30 to 79 years (10 million) were hypertensive in 2019. Among them, 68% were diagnosed, 57% received drug therapy, and effective therapeutic coverage (control) reached 33%. Both diagnosis and control show geographical and social disparities. Approximately 46 000 cardiovascular deaths per year are attributable to hypertension. In recent decades, the control of hypertension has increased, due to improvements in lifestyle measures and increased use of polytherapy, coinciding with a reduction in stroke mortality. There are several modifiable determinants of the lack of hypertension control: a) white-coat phenomenon affects 22% to 33% of treated individuals, partly due to the limited availability of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) (49%) and self-measured BP (SMBP) (78%); b) inadequate patient adherence to medication and healthy lifestyles (weight loss, the most effective measure, is the least used, ≈40%); and c) insufficient use of polytherapy (≈55%). The remaining challenges include: a) technological aspects, such as measuring BP with more accurate techniques (ABPM, SMBP) and using cardiovascular-risk estimation tools (eg, SCORE); b) clinical challenges, such as reducing therapeutic inertia (≈59%), involving patients in their own management (medication adherence, ≈62%) and effectively implementing clinical guidelines); and c) public health challenges, such as reducing the burden of obesity (≈24%), monitoring progress with updated surveys, and setting national BP control targets.

The Hearing Function and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Older Adults.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between hearing function, assessed with pure-tone average (PTA) of air conduction thresholds, and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) in older adults. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: A total of 1404 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years from the Seniors-ENRICA cohort were examined. METHODS: Hearing loss was defined as PTA > 40-AudCal hearing loss decibels (dB-aHL) in the better ear for standard frequency (0.5, 1, and 2 kHz), speech frequency (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz), and high frequency (3, 4, and 8 kHz). Circadian BP patterns were calculated as the percentage decline in systolic BP during the night, and participants were classified as dipper, nondipper, and riser. Ambulatory hypertension was defined as BP ≥ 130/80 mm Hg (24 hour), ≥135/85 (daytime), and ≥120/70 (nighttime) or on antihypertensive treatment. Analyses were performed with linear- and logistic-regression models adjusted for the main confounders. RESULTS: In multivariable analyses, the PTA was associated with higher nighttime systolic BP [ß coefficient per 20 dB-aHL increment standard frequency (95% confidence interval, CI): 2.41 mm Hg (0.87, 3.95); ß (95% CI) per 20 dB-aHL increment speech frequency 2.17 mm Hg (0.70, 3.64)]. Among hypertensive patients, hearing loss at standard and high-frequency PTA was associated with the riser BP pattern [odds ratio: 2.01 (95% CI, 1.03-3.93) and 1.45 (1.00-2.09), respectively]; also, hearing loss at standard PTA was linked to uncontrolled nighttime BP [1.81 (1.01-3.24)]. CONCLUSION: PTA was associated with higher nighttime BP, and hearing loss with a riser BP pattern and uncontrolled BP in older hypertensives.

Specific dairy foods and risk of frailty in older women: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Dairy contains a complex mixture of lipids, proteins, and micronutrients. Whether habitual dairy consumption is associated with health benefits is not well established. Since dairy is high in nutrients that are potentially protective against frailty, the association between dairy products and the risk of frailty is of interest. METHODS: We analyzed data from 85,280 women aged ≥ 60 years participating in the Nurses' Health Study. Consumption of milk, yogurt, and cheese was obtained from repeated food frequency questionnaires administered between 1980 and 2010. Frailty was defined as having at least three of the following five criteria from the FRAIL scale: fatigue, low strength, reduced aerobic capacity, having ≥ 5 chronic illnesses, and a weight loss of ≥ 5%. The occurrence of frailty was assessed every four years from 1992 to 2018. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the association between the intake of dairy foods and frailty. RESULTS: During follow-up we identified 15,912 incident cases of frailty. Consumption of milk or yogurt was not associated with the risk of frailty after adjustment for lifestyle factors, medication use, and overall diet quality. Cheese consumption was positively associated with risk of frailty [relative risk (95% confidence interval) for one serving/day increment in consumption: 1.10 (1.05, 1.16)]. Replacing one serving/day of milk, yogurt, or cheese with one serving/day of whole grains, nuts, or legumes was associated with a significant lower risk of frailty, while replacing milk, yogurt, or cheese with red meat or eggs was associated with an increased risk. When milk was replaced with a sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverage, a greater risk of frailty was observed, while replacing milk with orange juice was associated with a lower risk of frailty. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the association between milk, yogurt, and cheese and frailty partly depends on the replacement product. Habitual consumption of milk or yogurt was not associated with risk of frailty, whereas cheese consumption may be associated with an increased risk.

Animal and vegetable protein intake and malnutrition in older adults: a multicohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is a global concern in older adults, as it negatively affects morbidity and mortality. While higher animal protein intake may help prevent and treat malnutrition, it might also increase the risk of chronic diseases and death. Conversely, vegetable protein intake might have a lower anabolic effect and not be as effective to improve nutritional status. We studied whether animal and vegetable protein intake are associated with changes in nutritional status in older adults. DESIGN: We used pooled data from two Spanish cohorts: the Seniors-ENRICA 1 and Seniors-ENRICA 2. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: 2,965 community-dwelling adults aged 62-92 years. MEASUREMENTS: Protein intake was estimated at baseline via an electronic, validated diet history. Nutritional status was assessed at baseline and after 2.6 years with the GLIM (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition) phenotypic criteria: weight loss, low body mass index, and reduced muscle mass. The odds of improvements in nutritional status were assessed with logistic regression models, extensively adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Higher animal and vegetable protein intake were associated with improvements in nutritional status [odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) per 0.25 g/kg/day were 1.15 (1.00, 1.32) and 1.77 (1.35, 2.32), respectively]. Cereal protein intake drove most of the latter association [2.07 (1.44, 2.98)]. Replacing 0.25 g/kg/day of total animal protein, meat, or fish protein (but not dairy or egg protein) with vegetable protein was associated with improvements in nutritional status [1.54 (1.13, 2.09), 1.70 (1.20, 2.41), and 1.77 (1.18, 2.64), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: Higher animal and, especially, vegetable protein intake were associated with improvements in nutritional status in older adults. Replacing total animal protein, meat, or fish protein with vegetable protein may help improve malnutrition.

Association Between Speech Reception Threshold in Noise and Multimorbidity: The UK Biobank Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between hearing function, as approached with the functional auditory capacity, and multimorbidity. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: The UK Biobank was established from 2006 to 2010 in the United Kingdom. This cross-sectional analysis included 165,524 participants who provided baseline information on hearing function. METHODS: Functional auditory capacity was measured with a digit triplet test. Three categories were defined according to the speech reception threshold in noise (SRTn): normal (SRTn < -5.5 dB signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]), insufficient (SRTn ≥ -5.5 to ≤ -3.5 dB SNR) and poor hearing function (SRTn > -3.5 dB SNR). To define multimorbidity, 9 chronic diseases were considered, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, cancer, depression, osteoarthritis, coronary heart disease, and diabetes; multimorbidity was defined as the coexistence of 2 or more in the same individual. Analyses were conducted using logistic models adjusted for relevant confounders. RESULTS: Among the study participants, 54.5% were women, and the mean (range) age was 56.7 (39-72) years. The prevalence of insufficient and poor hearing function and multimorbidity was 13% and 13.2%, respectively. In comparison with having a normal SRTn, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of multimorbidity associated with insufficient SRTn was 1.13 (1.08-1.18), and with poor SRTn was 1.25 (1.14-1.37). CONCLUSION: Insufficient and poor hearing function was associated with multimorbidity. This association suggests common biological pathways for many of the considered morbidities.

Cross-sectional Association Between Plasma Biomarkers and Multimorbidity Patterns in Older Adults.

Multimorbidity is the simultaneous presence of 2 or more chronic conditions. Metabolomics could identify biomarkers potentially related to multimorbidity. We aimed to identify groups of biomarkers and their association with different multimorbidity patterns. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted within the Seniors-ENRICA-2 cohort in Spain, with information from 700 individuals aged ≥65 years. Biological samples were analyzed using high-throughput proton nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomics. Biomarker groups were identified with exploratory factor analysis, and multimorbidity was classified into 3 types: cardiometabolic, neuropsychiatric, and musculoskeletal. Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between biomarker groups and multimorbidity patterns, after adjusting for potential confounders including sociodemographics, lifestyle, and body mass index. Three factors were identified: the "lipid metabolism" mainly reflected biomarkers related to lipid metabolism, such as very-low-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; the "high-density lipoprotein cholesterol" mainly included high-density lipoprotein cholesterol subclasses and other lipids not included in the first factor; and the "amino acid/glycolysis/ketogenesis," composed of some amino acids, glycolysis-related metabolites, and ketone bodies. Higher scores in the "lipid metabolism" factor were associated with a higher likelihood of cardiometabolic multimorbidity, odds ratio for tertile 3 versus tertile 1 was 1.79 (95% confidence interval: 1.17-2.76). The "high-density lipoprotein cholesterol" factor was associated with lower odds of cardiometabolic multimorbidity [0.51 (0.32-0.82)], and the "amino acid/glycolysis/ketogenesis" factor was associated with more frequent cardiometabolic multimorbidity [1.85 (1.18-2.90)]. Different metabolomic biomarkers are associated with different multimorbidity patterns; therefore, multiple biomarker measurements are needed for a complete picture of the molecular mechanisms of multimorbidity.

Diet Quality and Multimorbidity in Older Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The role of diet quality in the accumulation of multiple chronic conditions is mostly unknown. This study examined diet quality in association with the number of chronic conditions and the rate of multimorbidity development among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: We used data from 2 784 adults aged ≥65 years from the Seniors-ENRICA 2 cohort. Diet quality was assessed at baseline (2015-17) with the Alternate Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). Information on medical diagnoses was obtained from electronic clinical records up to 2021. RESULTS: Higher adherence to the AHEI-2010 was associated with a lower number of total chronic conditions (ß [95% CI] quartile 4 vs 1: -0.57 [-0.86 to 0.27], p trend < .001] and cardiometabolic conditions (-0.30 [-0.44 to -0.17], p trend < .001) at baseline, while higher adherence to the MEDAS was associated with a lower number of total chronic conditions (-0.30 [-0.58 to -0.02], p trend = .01) and neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative conditions (-0.09 [-0.17 to -0.01], p trend = .01). After a median follow-up of 5.2 years (range: 0.1-6.1 years) higher adherence to the AHEI-2010 was associated with a lower increase in chronic conditions (ß [95% confidence interval] quartile 4 vs 1: -0.16 [-0.30 to -0.01], p trend = .04) and with lower rate of chronic disease accumulation. CONCLUSIONS: Higher diet quality, as measured by the AHEI-2010, was associated with a lower number of chronic health conditions and a lower rate of multimorbidity development over time.

Polyphenol intake and mortality: A nationwide cohort study in the adult population of Spain.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Polyphenols are secondary metabolites present in small quantities in plant-based food and beverages, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Main groups of polyphenols include flavonoids, phenolic acids, stilbenes, and lignans, but their association with mortality has barely been examined. We aimed to assess the association between the intake of 23 polyphenol subgroups and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality in a representative sample of the Spanish adult population. METHODS: Population-based cohort study conducted with 12,161 individuals aged 18+ recruited in 2008-2010 and followed-up during a mean of 12.5 years. At baseline, food consumption was obtained with a validated dietary history, and the Phenol-Explorer database was used to estimate polyphenol intake. Associations were examined using Cox regression adjusted for main confounders. RESULTS: During follow-up, 967 all-cause deaths occurred, 219 were cardiovascular, and 277 cancer. Comparing extreme categories of consumption, hazard ratios (95% CI) of total mortality for subgroups were: dihydroflavonols 0.85 (0.72-1.00; p-trend:0.046); flavonols 0.79 (0.63-0.97; p-trend:0.04); methoxyphenols 0.75 (0.59-0.94; p-trend:0.021); tyrosols 0.80 (0.65-0.98; p-trend:0.044); alkylmethoxyphenols 0.74 (0.59-0.93; p-trend:0.007); hydroxycinnamic acids 0.79 (0.64-0.98; p-trend:0.014); and hydroxyphenilacetic acids 0.82 (0.67-0.99; p-trend:0.064). For cardiovascular mortality, hazard ratios were: methoxyphenols 0.58 (0.38-0.89; p-trend:0.010); alkylmethoxyphenols 0.59 (0.39-0.90; p-trend:0.011); hydroxycinnamic acids 0.63 (0.42-0.94; p-trend:0.020); and hydroxyphenilacetic acids 0.69 (0.48-0.99; p-trend:0.044), when comparing extreme tertiles of consumption. No statistically significant associations were observed for cancer. The main food sources for these polyphenol subgroups were red wine, leafy green vegetables, olive oil, green olives, and coffee (the latter being the major contributor of methoxyphenols, alkylmethoxyphenols, and hydroxycinnamic acids). CONCLUSIONS: In the Spanish adult population, intake of specific polyphenol subgroups was prospectively associated with a 20% lower all-cause mortality risk. This decrease was mainly due to a 40% lower cardiovascular mortality risk over time.

Prospective Association Between Plasma Concentrations of Fatty Acids and Other Lipids, and Multimorbidity in Older Adults.

Biological mechanisms that lead to multimorbidity are mostly unknown, and metabolomic profiles are promising to explain different pathways in the aging process. The aim of this study was to assess the prospective association between plasma fatty acids and other lipids, and multimorbidity in older adults. Data were obtained from the Spanish Seniors-ENRICA 2 cohort, comprising noninstitutionalized adults ≥65 years old. Blood samples were obtained at baseline and after a 2-year follow-up period for a total of 1 488 subjects. Morbidity was also collected at baseline and end of the follow-up from electronic health records. Multimorbidity was defined as a quantitative score, after weighting morbidities (from a list of 60 mutually exclusive chronic conditions) by their regression coefficients on physical functioning. Generalized estimating equation models were employed to assess the longitudinal association between fatty acids and other lipids, and multimorbidity, and stratified analyses by diet quality, measured with the Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010, were also conducted. Among study participants, higher concentrations of omega-6 fatty acids [coef. per 1-SD increase (95% CI) = -0.76 (-1.23, -0.30)], phosphoglycerides [-1.26 (-1.77, -0.74)], total cholines [-1.48 (-1.99, -0.96)], phosphatidylcholines [-1.23 (-1.74, -0.71)], and sphingomyelins [-1.65 (-2.12, -1.18)], were associated with lower multimorbidity scores. The strongest associations were observed for those with a higher diet quality. Higher plasma concentrations of omega-6 fatty acids, phosphoglycerides, total cholines, phosphatidylcholines, and sphingomyelins were prospectively associated with lower multimorbidity in older adults, although diet quality could modulate the associations found. These lipids may serve as risk markers for multimorbidity.

Dietary Micronutrient Adequacy and Risk of Multimorbidity in Community-dwelling Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity refers to the coexistence of multiple chronic health conditions. The effect of nutritional adequacy on multimorbidity is mostly unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the prospective association between dietary micronutrient adequacy and multimorbidity among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: This cohort study included 1461 adults aged ≥65 y from the Seniors-ENRICA II cohort. Habitual diet was assessed at baseline (2015-2017) with a validated computerized diet history. The intakes of 10 micronutrients (calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamins A, C, D, E, zinc, iodine, and folate) were expressed as percentages relative to the dietary reference intakes, with higher scores indicating greater adequacy. Dietary micronutrient adequacy was computed as the average of all the nutrient scores. Information on medical diagnosis was obtained from the electronic health records up to December 2021. Conditions were grouped into a comprehensive list of 60 categories and occurrence of multimorbidity was defined as having ≥6 chronic conditions. Analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for relevant confounders. RESULTS: The mean age was 71.0 y (SD: 4.2) and 57.8% of participants were males. During a median follow-up of 4.79 y, we documented 561 incident cases of multimorbidity. Participants in the highest (85.8%-97.7%) versus the lowest tertile (40.1%-78.7%) of dietary micronutrient adequacy had a low risk of multimorbidity [fully adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval): 0.75 (0.59-0.95); P-trend: 0.02]. A 1-SD increment in minerals and vitamins adequacy was associated with a low risk of multimorbidity, although estimates were attenuated after additional adjustment for the opposite subindex [minerals subindex: 0.86 (0.74-1.00); vitamins subindex: 0.89 (0.76-1.04)]. No differences were observed by strata of sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. CONCLUSION: A high micronutrient index score was associated with low risk of multimorbidity. Improving the dietary micronutrient adequacy could prevent multimorbidity among older adults. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: clinicaltrials.govNCT03541135.

Duration and Quality of Sleep and Risk of Self-reported Hearing Loss: The UK Biobank Study.

OBJECTIVE: The duration and quality of sleep have been associated with multiple health conditions in adults. However, whether sleep duration and quality are associated with hearing loss (HL) is uncertain. The present study investigates the prospective association between duration and quality of sleep and HL. DESIGN: This longitudinal analysis included 231,650 participants aged 38 to 72 years from the UK Biobank cohort, established in 2006-2010 in the United Kingdom. Duration and sleep complaints (snoring at night, daytime sleepiness, sleeplessness, difficulty getting up in the morning, and eveningness preference) were self-reported. HL was self-reported at baseline and during the follow-up. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 4.19 (SD: 2.15) years, 6436 participants reported incident HL. In fully adjusted models, in comparison with sleeping between 7 and 8 hours a day, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) (95% CI) associated with sleeping <7 hours a day was 1.01 (0.95 to 1.07), and for sleeping >8 hours a day was 0.98 (0.88 to 1.08). After adjustment for potential confounders, the HRs (95% confidence interval) of HL associated with having 1, 2, 3, and 4 to 5 vs. 0 sleep complaints were: 1.15 (1.05 to 1.27), 1.16 (1.05 to 1.28), 1.32 (1.19 to 1.47), and 1.49 (1.31 to 1.69), respectively; p for trend: <0.001. An increase in the number of sleep complaints was associated with higher risk of HL among participants with non-optimal sleep duration than among participants with optimal sleep duration. CONCLUSION: In this large population-based study, poor sleep quality was associated with an increased risk of HL; however, sleep duration was not associated with risk.

Long-Term Consumption of Nuts (Including Peanuts, Peanut Butter, Walnuts, and Other Nuts) in Relation to Risk of Frailty in Older Women: Evidence from a Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to a healthy diet is inversely associated with frailty. However, the relationship between nuts, a key food group of Mediterranean diet, and frailty is unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the association between nut consumption and frailty in an aging female population. METHODS: This population-based observational study included nonfrail women (≥60 y old) in the NHS from 11 states of the United States. Outcome was incident frailty, defined as having ≥3 of the FRAIL components (fatigue, lower strength, reduced aerobic capacity, multiple chronic conditions, and significant weight loss) and assessed every 4 y from 1992 to 2016. From 1990 to 2014, FFQs were used to assess the intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts (added in 1998), and other nuts at 4-y intervals. Exposure was total nut consumption, calculated as the sum of intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts and categorized into <1 serving/mo, 1-3 servings/mo, 1 serving/wk, 2-4 servings/wk, and ≥5 servings/wk. The relations of intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, and walnuts with frailty were also investigated separately. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations between nut consumption and frailty after adjusting for age, smoking, BMI, EI, diet quality, and medication use. RESULTS: Among 71,704 participants, 14,195 incident frailty cases occurred over 1,165,290 person-years. The adjusted HR (95% CI) for consuming ≥5 servings/wk of nuts was 0.80 (0.73, 0.87), as compared with <1 serving/mo. Higher intakes of peanuts and walnuts, but not peanut butter, were also inversely associated with frailty. CONCLUSIONS: This large prospective cohort study showed a strong and consistent inverse association between regular nut consumption and incident frailty. This suggests that nut consumption should be further tested as a convenient public health intervention for the preservation of health and well-being in older adults.

Multimorbidity Patterns in Older Adults: the Role of Social Variables and Lifestyle Behaviors.

INTRODUCTION: While some condition clusters represent the chance co-occurrence of common individual conditions, others may represent shared causal factors. The aims of this study were to identify multimorbidity patterns in older adults and to explore the relationship between social variables, lifestyle behaviors, and the multimorbidity patterns identified. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional design. Data came from 3,273 individuals aged ≥65 from the Seniors-ENRICA-2 cohort; information on 60 chronic disease categories, categorized according to the 2nd edition of the International Classification of Primary Care and the 10th edition of the International Classification of Diseases, was obtained from clinical record linkage. To identify multimorbidity patterns, an exploratory factor analysis was conducted over chronic disease categories with a prevalence >5%, using Oblimin rotation and Kaiser's eigenvalues-greater-than-one rule. The association between multimorbidity patterns and their potential determinants was assessed with multivariable linear regression. RESULTS: The three-factor solution (Musculoskeletal diseases and mental disorders, Cardiometabolic diseases, and Cardiopulmonary diseases) explained 64.5% of the total variance. Being older, lower occupational category, higher levels of loneliness, lower levels of physical activity, and higher body mass index were associated with higher scores in the multimorbidity patterns identified. Female sex was linked to the Musculoskeletal diseases and mental disorders pattern, while being male was revealed to the two remaining multimorbidity patterns. A high diet quality was inversely related to Cardiometabolic diseases, while optimal sleep duration was inversely related to Cardiopulmonary diseases. CONCLUSION: Three multimorbidity patterns were identified in older adults. Multimorbidity patterns were differently associated with social variables and lifestyles behavioral factors.

Association between neighborhood physical characteristics and mental health among older adults in Spain.

The aim was to assess the impact of neighborhood physical environment on mental health among non-institutionalized older adults. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted over a representative sample of 5,071 people ≥65 years from the Spanish National Health Survey. The survey included nine items addressing the self-perceived degree of discomfort due to neighborhood physical problems. Participants were categorized into groups with "no problems", "some problems" (somewhat discomfort on 1-4 items) and "many problems" (somewhat discomfort on ≥5 items or very much discomfort on ≥1 item). Mental health status was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire, consisting of 12 items assessing the severity of a psychological distress over the past few weeks. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regressions. A dose-response association (p-trend<0.001) was found between living in neighborhoods with some (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.14-1.75) or many problems (OR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.55-2.42) affecting the physical environment with poor mental health of community dwelling older adults. Integrating and articulating health considerations into public policymaking regarding housing and the residential environment can have broad implications for healthy aging.

Only virgin type of olive oil consumption reduces the risk of mortality. Results from a Mediterranean population-based cohort.

BACKGROUND: Evidence on the association between virgin olive oil (OO) and mortality is limited since no attempt has previously been made to discern about main OO varieties. OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between OO consumption (differentiating by common and virgin varieties) and total as well as cause-specific long-term mortality METHODS: 12,161 individuals, representative of the Spanish population ≥18 years old, were recruited between 2008 and 2010 and followed up through 2019. Habitual food consumption was collected at baseline with a validated computerized dietary history. The association between tertiles of OO main varieties and all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality were analyzed using Cox models. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 10.7 years (129,272 person-years), 143 cardiovascular deaths, and 146 cancer deaths occurred. The hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval) for all-cause mortality in the highest tertile of common and virgin OO consumption were 0.96 (0.75-1.23; P-trend 0.891) and 0.66 (0.49-0.90; P-trend 0.040). The HR for all-cause mortality per a 10 g/day increase in virgin OO was 0.91 (0.83-1.00). Virgin OO consumption was also inversely associated with cardiovascular mortality, with a HR of 0.43 (0.20-0.91; P-trend 0.017), but common OO was not, with a HR of 0.88 (0.49-1.60; P-trend 0.242). No variety of OO was associated with cancer mortality. CONCLUSION: Daily moderate consumption of virgin OO (1 and 1/2 tablespoons) was associated with a one-third lower risk of all-cause as well as half the risk of cardiovascular mortality. These effects were not seen for common OO. These findings may be useful to reappraise dietary guidelines.

Prospective Association Between Plasma Amino Acids and Multimorbidity in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Some amino acids have been associated with aging-related disorders and risk of physical impairment. The aim of this study was to assess the association between plasma concentrations of 9 amino acids, including branched-chain and aromatic amino acids, and multimorbidity. METHODS: This research uses longitudinal data from the Seniors-ENRICA 2 study, a population-based cohort from Spain that comprises noninstitutionalized adults older than 65. Blood samples were extracted at baseline and after a follow-up period of 2 years for a total of 1 488 subjects. Participants' information was linked with electronic health records. Chronic diseases were grouped into a list of 60 mutually exclusive conditions. A quantitative measure of multimorbidity, weighting morbidities by their regression coefficients on physical functioning, was employed and ranged from 0 to 100. Generalized estimating equation models were used to explore the relationship between plasma amino acids and multimorbidity, adjusting for sociodemographics, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle behaviors. RESULTS: The mean age of participants at baseline was 73.6 (SD = 4.2) years, 49.6% were women. Higher concentrations of glutamine (coef. per mmol/l [95% confidence interval] = 10.1 [3.7, 16.6]), isoleucine (50.3 [21.7, 78.9]), and valine (15.5 [3.1, 28.0]) were significantly associated with higher multimorbidity scores, after adjusting for potential confounders. Body mass index could have influenced the relationship between isoleucine and multimorbidity (p = .016). CONCLUSIONS: Amino acids could play a role in regulating aging-related diseases. Glutamine and branched-chain amino acids as isoleucine and valine are prospectively associated and could serve as risk markers for multimorbidity in older adults.

Distribution of daily protein intake across meals and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling older adults.

Recent findings suggest that the distribution of protein intake throughout the day has an impact on various health outcomes in older adults, independently of the amount consumed. We evaluated the association between the distribution of dietary protein intake across meals and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling older adults. Data from 3225 older adults aged ≥ 60 years from the Seniors-ENRICA-1 cohort were examined. Habitual dietary protein consumption was collected in 2008-2010 and in 2012 through a validated diet history. Protein distribution across meals was calculated for each participant as the coefficient of variation (CV) of protein intake per meal, in sex-specific tertiles. Vital status was obtained from the National Death Index up to 30 January 2020. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to determine the hazard ratios (HR) and their 95 % CI for the association between the distribution of daily protein intake across meals and all-cause mortality. Over a median follow-up of 10·6 years, 591 deaths occurred. After adjustment for potential confounders, the CV of total protein intake was not associated with all-cause mortality (HR and 95 % CI in the second and third tertile v. the lowest tertile: 0·94 (0·77, 1·15) and 0·88 (0·72, 1·08); Ptrend = 0·22). Similarly, the HR of all-cause mortality when comparing extreme tertiles of CV for types of protein were 0·89 (0·73, 1·10) for animal-protein intake and 1·02 (0·82, 1·25) for plant-protein intake. Dietary protein distribution across meals was not associated with all-cause mortality, regardless of protein source and amount, among older adults. Further studies should investigate whether this picture holds for specific causes of death.