Frailty and nutrition: From epidemiological and clinical evidence to potential mechanisms.
Frailty is a geriatric condition characterized by unintentional weight loss, low muscle strength, feeling of exhaustion, reduced physical activity capacity and slow walking speed. Theoretically, nutrition is a factor closely related to the frailty syndrome: all frailty criteria are more or less affected by poor eating habits, whereas frailty itself may have a negative effect on eating and, thus, on the nutritional status. Indeed, research data suggest an association between frailty and specific constituents of diet, namely protein and energy intake, as well as intakes of specific micronutrients. Furthermore, healthy dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, have been linked to the frailty prevention. In the present narrative review, we critically evaluate cross-sectional, prospective and intervention studies examining the relationship between diet and frailty development and prevention. Potential mechanisms linking nutrition and frailty as well as directions for future research are discussed.
School of Health Sciences and Education, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece. Electronic address: myiannak@hua.gr.
Mary
M
Yannakoulia
School of Health Sciences and Education, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece; Department of Social Medicine, Psychiatry and Neurology, National and Kapodistrian, University of Athens, Greece.
Eva
E
Ntanasi
School of Health Sciences and Education, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Costas A
CA
Anastasiou
Department of Social Medicine, Psychiatry and Neurology, National and Kapodistrian, University of Athens, Greece; Taub Institute for Research in Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center, Department of Neurology, Columbia University, NY, New York, USA.
Nikolaos
N
Scarmeas
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D016330:Frail Elderly; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*
Frailty; Mediterranean diet; Nutrition; Protein; Vitamin D