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Body Composition in Elderly Men: Effect of Dietary Modification during Strength Training
Author(s) -
Meredith Carol N.,
Frontera Walter R.,
O'Reilly Kevin P.,
Evans William J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1992.tb01937.x
Subject(s) - medicine , strength training , lean body mass , sarcopenia , endocrinology , physical therapy , muscle hypertrophy , adipose tissue , body weight
Objective To assess how dietary change affects gain in strength and muscle mass during heavy resistance training of elderly men. Design Randomized controlled trial. Intervention During 12 weeks of resistance training of knee extensors and flexors, a daily supplement of 560 ° 16 kcal/day (17% energy from protein, 43% from carbohydrate, 40% from fat) was randomly assigned to six men (S) while five men (U) received no supplement. Food intake, strength, whole body composition, and midthigh composition by CT scan were assessed before training and at 6 and 12 weeks. Setting The men were outpatients but lived in a Metabolic Research Unit during the three assessments. Participants Eleven healthy men aged 61 to 72 years. Results Densitometry showed no change over time in fat or fat‐free mass. However, the S men increased ( P < 0.05) weight, skinfold thickness at six sites, subcutaneous midthigh fat, and creatinine excretion; in all men, changes in these values and in midthigh muscle were proportional to changes in reported energy intake ( P < 0.05). There was midthigh muscle hypertrophy in both groups, but it was greater in S than U ( P < 0.01). Both groups gained strength ( P < 0.001) with no effect of diet. Conclusions During physical rehabilitation of the elderly, dietary intake may influence the increase in lean as well as adipose tissue without altering strength gain. These preliminary findings should be confirmed by a larger study with sedentary controls.