Dietary variety and decline in lean mass and physical performance in community-dwelling older Japanese: A 4-year follow-up study

To examine associations of dietary variety with changes in lean mass and physical performance during a 4-year period in an elderly Japanese population. Design: Four-year prospective study.

The Hatoyama Cohort Study and Kusatsu Longitudinal Study, Japan.

935 community-dwelling Japanese aged 65 years or older.

Dietary variety was assessed using a 10-item food frequency questionnaire. Body composition was determined by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, and physical performance (grip strength and usual gait speed) was measured in surveys at baseline and 4 years later. Longitudinal analysis included only participants who were originally in the upper three quartiles of lean body mass, appendicular lean mass, grip strength, and usual gait speed. The outcome measures were decline in lean body mass, appendicular lean mass, grip strength, and usual gait speed, defined as a decrease to the lowest baseline quartile level at the 4-year follow-up survey. Associations of dietary variety with the outcome measures were examined by logistic regression analysis adjusted for potential confounders.

In the fully adjusted model, the odds ratios for decline in grip strength and usual gait speed were 0.43 (95% confidence interval, 0.19–0.99) and 0.43 (confidence interval, 0.19–0.99), respectively, for participants in the highest category of dietary variety score as compared with those in the lowest category. Dietary variety was not significantly associated with changes in lean body mass or appendicular lean mass.

Among older adults, greater dietary variety may help maintain physical performance, such as grip strength and usual gait speed, but not lean mass.