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Following a Mediterranean diet may reduce the risk of becoming frail over time, according to a new analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Frailty — having functional limitations linked to muscle weakness, especially in older age — is one of the countless health outcomes that appears to be linked to diabetes. Research has shown that in older people with type 2 diabetes, better blood glucose control is linked to a lower risk for frailty. Low blood glucose, in particular, is linked to a higher risk for frailty and functional decline in older adults with type 2. Getting enough protein in your diet may help reduce the risk for functional limitations in people with or without diabetes, according to one study. Frailty is also linked to other health problems, with one recent study showing that a slower walking speed is linked to the risk for developing dementia in the future.
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For the latest analysis, researchers looked at data from 2,384 adults who took part in a large study called the Framingham Offspring Study and were not considered frail at the beginning of the study period. The average age of participants at the beginning of the study was 60, with an age range of 33 to 86. Participants completed a dietary questionnaire at the beginning of the study between 1998 and 2001, and were evaluated for frailty based on a standardized assessment called the Fried frailty phenotype — both at the beginning of the study and at at least one additional visit during a follow-up period lasting an average of about 11 years.
After adjusting for factors other than diet that are known to be linked to frailty, the researchers found that participants who most closely followed a Mediterranean eating pattern were less likely to develop frailty — with every additional point in a Mediterranean diet score linked to a 3% lower risk for frailty. The researchers also found that every daily increase of 10 milligrams of carotenoids (beneficial antioxidants found in some yellow, orange, and red vegetables) in participants’ diets, the risk for developing frailty was 16% lower. Only a small drop in the risk for frailty was linked to vitamin E, and no link was seen for vitamin C.
The link between both a Mediterranean diet and carotenoid intake to the risk for frailty was stronger among adults under age 60, — in this group, every additional point in a Mediterranean diet score linked to a 7% lower risk for frailty, and every daily increase of 10 milligrams of carotenoids was linked to a 41% lower risk for frailty.
The researchers concluded that following a Mediterranean-style diet may help reduce the risk for frailty over time, and may be especially helpful at preventing frailty at a younger age. “Increasing the intake of brightly colored fruits and vegetables that are rich in carotenoids as well as other bioactive compounds may ultimately affect the health of older adults,” noted study author Shivani Sahni, PhD, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, in a press release on the study.
Want to learn more about the Mediterranean diet? Read “Five Reasons to Try the Mediterranean Diet” and “Eating Patterns and Type 1 Diabetes: Mediterranean Diet,” then try five of our favorite diabetes-friendly Mediterranean recipes.
Quinn Phillips on social media
A freelance health writer and editor based in Wisconsin, Phillips has a degree from Harvard University. He is a former Editorial Assistant for Diabetes Self-Management and has years of experience covering diabetes and related health conditions. Phillips writes on a variety of topics, but is especially interested in the intersection of health and public policy.
Disclaimer of Medical Advice: Statements and opinions expressed on this Web site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers or advertisers. The information, which comes from qualified medical writers, does not constitute medical advice or recommendation of any kind, and you should not rely on any information contained in such posts or comments to replace consultations with your qualified health care professionals to meet your individual needs.
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