title: Higher Protein but Not Energy Intake Is Associated With a Lower Prevalence of Frailty Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in the French Three-City Cohort.
abstract: The hypothesis that increasing protein and energy intakes may confer protection against frailty has been suggested, although few studies have examined these associations, especially regarding current protein energy recommendations in the older population.
  
  
  
  To assess the association between frailty and higher protein and energy intakes.
  
  
  
  The present study is a secondary, cross-sectional analysis of the French Three-City cohort. Participants were community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and over. Frailty was defined as a score of 3/5 among the 5 Fried criteria: weight loss, exhaustion, muscle weakness, slowness, and physical activity. Protein intake was set at a daily intake ≥1 g/kg body weight and optimal energy intake defined as a daily intake ≥30 kcal/kg. Logistic regressions were performed while adjusting for several sociodemographic and clinical variables.
  
  
  
  The study sample consisted of 1345 participants [mean age (SD) 74.0 (4.9) years], of whom 55 (4.1%) were identified as frail. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables, higher protein intake was significantly associated with a lower frailty prevalence [odds ratio (OR) = 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.19-0.89; P = .024] whereas no significant association was observed between an optimal energy intake and the presence of frailty (OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.32-1.55, P = .38).
  
  
  
  A 1 g/kg protein intake was associated with a lower prevalence of frailty in French community-dwelling older subjects. This observation adds to the literature, suggesting increasing the daily protein intake to at least 1 g/kg for older adults aged 65 and more.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France. Electronic address: Berna.rahi@isped.u-bordeaux2.fr.
authors.forename: Berna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rahi
authors.affiliation: Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Zoé
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Colombet
authors.affiliation: INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Colaço Harmand
authors.affiliation: INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dartigues
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR 1019, UNH, CRNH Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France; Clermont University, University of Auvergne, Unité de Nutrition Humaine, Clermont-Ferrand, France; CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Clinical Nutrition Department, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Boirie
authors.affiliation: INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Letenneur
authors.affiliation: INSERM, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France; Univ. Bordeaux, ISPED, Centre INSERM U1219-Bordeaux Population Health, Bordeaux, France.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Feart
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005602:France; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Higher protein intake; frailty; older adults; optimal energy intake