Dietary protein intake is associated with lean body mass in community-dwelling older adults.

• Published in: Nutrition Research
• Main Authors: Geirsdottir, Olof G, Arnarson, Atli, Ramel, Alfons, Jonsson, Palmi V, Thorsdottir, Inga
• Other Authors: Univ Iceland, Fac Food Sci & Nutr, Natl Univ Hosp, Unit Nutr Res, Reykjavik, Iceland, Univ Iceland, Fac Med, Univ Hosp, Iceland Gerontol Res Ctr, Reykjavik, Iceland, Univ Iceland, Fac Med, Natl Univ Hosp, Dept Geriatr, Reykjavik, Iceland
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd. 2013
• Subjects: Mataræði; Aldraðir; Orka; Prótín; Líkamsþjálfun; Absorptiometry; Photon; Aged; Aging; Body Composition; Body Fluid Compartments; Diet; Diet Records; Dietary Proteins; Energy Intake; Exercise; Female; Humans; Male; Recommended Dietary Allowances; Residence Characteristics; Sex Factors; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2336/324780; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2013.05.014

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink at the bottom of the page Lean body mass (LBM) is important to maintain physical function during aging. We hypothesized that dietary protein intake and leisure-time physical activity are associated with LBM in community-dwelling older adults. To test the hypothesis, participants (n = 237; age, 65-92 years) did 3-day weighed food records and reported physical activity. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Protein intake was 0.98 ± 0.28 and 0.95 ± 0.29 g/kg body weight in male and female participants, respectively. Protein intake (in grams per kilogram of body weight) was associated with LBM (in kilograms); that is, the differences in LBM were 2.3 kg (P < .05) and 2.0 kg (P = .054) between the fourth vs the first and the fourth vs the second quartiles of protein intake, respectively. Only a minor part of this association was explained by increased energy intake, which follows an increased protein intake. Our study shows that dietary protein intake was positively associated with LBM in older adults with a mean protein intake higher than the current recommended daily allowance of 0.8 g/kg per day. Leisure-time physical activity, predominantly consisting of endurance type exercises, was not related to LBM in this group. Icelandic Technology Development Fund/071323008 University of Iceland Landspitali University Hospital Research Fund Helga Jonsdottir and Sigurlidi Kristjansson Geriatric Research Fund