Relationship Between Healthy Eating Index and Sarcopenia in Elderly People Publisher Pubmed



Ghoreishy SM¹ ; Koujan SE² ; Hashemi R³ ; Heshmat R⁴ ; Motlagh AD² ; Esmaillzadeh A^{2, 5, 6}
Source: BMC Geriatrics Published:2023

Abstract

Background: Data on the association of Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 (AHEI-2010) with sarcopenia are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the association between adherence to AHEI-2010 and sarcopenia and its components including low muscle mass, low muscle strength, and low muscle performance among elderly people. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, which was conducted on 300 older people (150 men and 150 women) aged ≥55 years. Dietary information was done using a valid 117-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). To construct AHEI-2010 score, earlier studies were used. Sarcopenia and its components were described based on both former and new European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) guidelines. Results: We found no significant association between AHEI-2010 score and odds of EWGSOP2-sarcopenia, either before (OR for the highest vs. lowest tertiles: 0.55; 95% CI: 0.19, 1.55) or after (OR: 0.44; 95% CI: 0.14, 1.34) adjustment for confounders. In gender-stratified analyses, we found a significant protective association between adherence to the AHEI-2010 score and odds of EWGSOP2-sarcopenia among women after controlling for confounders (0.20; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.91). Conclusions: In conclusion, healthy eating was inversely associated with odds of sarcopenia among women, but not in men. Further studies with a large sample size and prospective design are needed to examine this association. © 2023, The Author(s).