Protein Benefits Physical Performance in Older Adults

A systematic review of observational studies indicated an association between higher protein intakes and better lower limb performance in older adults.

This research, published in Nutrients, was based on study selections by two independent researchers and revealed that both high and very high protein intakes among older adults were associated with better lower limb physical function and walking speed performance compared to those with low protein intakes. Older adults with lower total protein and lower vegetable protein intakes were at a higher risk for low muscle mass.

One in five deaths worldwide linked to unhealthy diet

The Global Burden of Disease study tracked trends from 1990 to 2017 of consumption of 15 dietary factors. Chris Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington said poor diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor in the world.

Consumption of healthier foods such as nuts and seeds, milk and whole grains was on average too low while people consumed too many sugary drinks and too much processed meat and salt. This led to one in five deaths in 2017 being linked to bad diets.

In a breakdown of diet-related deaths, the study found that of the 11 million in 2017, almost 10 million were from cardiovascular diseases, around 913,000 from cancer and almost 339,000 from type 2 diabetes.

The study found people ate only 12 percent of the recommended amount of nuts and seeds - an average intake of 3 grams a day, compared with the recommended 21 g - and drank more than 10 times the recommended amount of sugary drinks. Diets high in sugar, salt and bad fats are known risk factors for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and many types of cancer.

The global diet also included less than a quarter of the recommended amount of whole grains - at 29 g average intake a day compared with the recommended 125 g - and almost double the recommended amount of processed meat - at around 4 g average intake per day compared with the 2 g recommended.

In fact, an “ideal diet” for the health of people and the planet would include a doubling of consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes and a halving of meat and sugar intake.