Table 3.
Studies investigating the relation of Mediterranean diet and sarcopenia features in apparently healthy older adults.
| Study | Total n (Females %, Males %) |
Country | Age (Years) (Mean ± SD) |
Study Design | Assessment of Sarcopenia or Surrogate Measures | Method of Dietary Assessment |
Med Diet Score | Follow-Up | Muscle Mass | Muscle Strength | Muscle Function | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [54] Kim et al., 2019 |
3675 (F: 53.5%, M: 46.5%) |
Korea | ≥65 | Cross-sectional | Handgrip strength | Single 24 h recall | aMED | - | Higher diet scores were related to 32–53% lower odds of low handgrip strength |
|||
| [62] Mendes et al., 2020 |
1491 older adults (F: 58%, M: 42%) |
Portugal | ≥65 | Cross-sectional | Handgrip strength Sitting time |
14-item FFQ | PREDIMED questionnaire | - | Lower MedScore was associated with low handgrip strength [OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.09–2.05]. |
Lower MedScore was associated with longer sitting time [OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.04–1.96]. |
||
| [48] Borges et al., 2022 | 90 (F: 89%, M: 11%) |
Spain | ≥65 Mean age 83.4 ± 7.2 |
Cross-sectional | EWGSOP2 SARC-F and SARC-CalF |
14-item FFQ | MEDAS score | - | Sarcopenia was related to BMI [OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68–0.91, p < 0.05] and calf circumference [OR:0.64; 95% CI: 0.51–0.81, p < 0.01]. Calf circumference predicted sarcopenia presence. No relation with Mediterranean diet was documented. Sarcopenia was present in 30% of patients with hip fracture. | |||
| [55] Fougère et al., 2015 |
304 (F: 59.5%, M: 40.4%) |
Italy | >77 Mean 86.3 ± 6.8 |
Cross-sectional | Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) Handgrip strength |
13-item FFQ | Mediterranean diet score (MSDPS) | 7 and 10 years | No correlation reported between diet and handgrip strength. | Higher MedScore was associated with better performance at lower limbs (SPPB > 7). | ||
| [49] Cervo et al., 2021 |
794 (F: 0%, M: 100%) | Australia | 81.1 ± 4.5 | Prospective | Appendicular lean mass (ALM) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured with DXA. Gait speed was assessed by 6 min walking test. Handgrip strength was measured with a dynamometer. |
Validated diet history | MEDI-LITE score | 5 years 616 participants, 3 years later |
Higher MedScore score related to higher appendicular lean mass adjusted for body mass index (ALMBMI) (β: 0.004 kg/kg/m2; 95% CI: 0.000, 0.008). |
MedScore was not associated with muscle function. |
Higher MUFA and MUFA/SFA were associated with 24%, and 28% lower risk of falls in older men, correspondingly. Higher MedScore was associated with lower interleukin-7 (β: −0.017 pg/mL; 95% CI: −0.031, −0.003), and incident falls rates (IRR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99). MedScore was not associated with bone mineral density. |
|
| [60] Isanejad et al., 2018 |
554 (F: 100%, M: 0%) | Finland | 65–72 | Prospective | EWGSOP2 | 3-day record | MED score | 3 years | Women in the higher quartile MED scores lost less relative skeletal muscle index and total body lean mass (p trend ≤ 0.034). |
Higher adherence to Mediterranean diet was related to faster walking speed 10 m, greater LBMQ and better performance in squat tests. |
||
| [61] Chan et al., 2016 |
6905 (F: 42.6%, M: 57.3%) |
Hong Kong | ≥65 | Prospective | Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia | Valid semi quantitative FFQ | Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) |
4 years | No association between dietary patterns and prevalent sarcopenia in women No association between dietary patterns and incident sarcopenia. |
|||
| [57] Milaneschi et al., 2011 |
935 (F: 55.6%, M: 44.4%) | Italy | 74.1 ± 6.8 | Prospective | Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) | Valid semi quantitative FFQ | MDS | 3, 6, 9 years | Participants with higher adherence exhibited less decline in SPPB score, which was of 0.9 points higher at the 3-year follow-up, 1.1 points higher at the 6-year follow-up and 0.9 points higher at the 9-year follow-up (all p < 0.05). |
|||
| [58] Shahar et al., 2012 |
2225 F: 54.1% M: 45.9% |
USA | 74.5 ± 2.8 | Prospective | 20 m walking test | Valid semi quantitative FFQ | MDS | 8 years | Higher MedDiet adherence was an independent predictor of less decline in usual 20 m walking speed. |
|||
| [59] Talegawkar et al., 2012 |
690 F: 51.7% M: 48.3% |
Italy | 73 ± 6.24 | Prospective | Hand-grip strength 15 ft (4.57 m) walking test |
Valid semi quantitative FFQ | MDS | 6 years | Ns association with muscle strength | A higher adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet at baseline was associated with low walking speed | ||
EWGSOP2: European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People; CI: confidence interval; F: females; FFQ: Food Frequency Questionnaire; iADL: Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale; M: males; OR: odds ratio; U: unspecified; ns: non-significant.