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Adherence to Mediterranean Diet and Decline in Walking Speed over 8 Years in Community‐Dwelling Older Adults
Author(s) -
Shahar Danit R.,
Houston Denise K.,
Hue Trisha F.,
Lee JungSun,
Sahyoun Nadine R.,
Tylavsky Frances A.,
Geva Diklah,
Vardi Hillel,
Harris Tamara B.
Publication year - 2012
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.1532-5415.2012.04167.x
Subject(s) - medicine , preferred walking speed , mediterranean diet , body mass index , physical activity , demography , generalized estimating equation , gerontology , physical therapy , statistics , mathematics , sociology
Objectives To determine the association between M editerranean diet ( M ed D iet) score and 20‐m walking speed over 8 years. Design Health, A ging and B ody C omposition S tudy ( H ealth ABC ) beginning in 1997/98. Setting Community. Participants Two thousand two hundred twenty‐five well‐functioning individuals aged 70 and older. Measurements Walking speed was assessed in relation to low, medium, and high adherence to the M ed D iet (0–2, 3–5, 6–9 points, respectively). Results Individuals in the highest M ed D iet adherence group were more likely to be male; less likely to smoke; and more likely to have lower body mass index, higher energy intake, and greater physical activity ( P < .05). Usual and rapid 20‐m walking speed were highest in the high M ed D iet adherence group than in the other groups (high, 1.19 ± 0.19 m/s; medium, 1.16 ± 0.21 m/s; low, 1.15 ± 0.19 m/s, P = .02, for usual speed; high, 1.65 ±0.30 m/s; medium, 1.59 ± 0.32 m/s; low, 1.55 ± 0.30 m/s, P = .001, for rapid speed). Over 8 years, usual and rapid 20‐m walking speed declined in all M ed D iet adherence groups. Higher M ed D iet adherence was an independent predictor of less decline in usual 20‐m walking speed ( P = .049) in generalized estimating equations adjusted for age, race, sex, site, education, smoking, physical activity, energy intake, health status, depression and cognitive score. The effect decreased after adding total body fat percentage to the model ( P = .13). Similar results were observed for M ed D iet adherence and rapid 20‐m walking speed; the association remained significant after adjustment for total body fat percentage ( P = .01). The interaction between time and M ed D iet adherence was not significant in any of the models. Conclusion Walking speed over 8 years was faster in those with higher M ed D iet adherence at baseline. The differences remained significant over 8 years, suggesting a long‐term effect of diet on mobility performance with aging.