Changes in Dietary Intake and Adherence to the NU-AGE Diet Following a One-Year Dietary Intervention among European Older Adults-Results of the NU-AGE Randomized Trial

A. A. M. Berendsen (1) , O. van de Rest (1) , E. J. M. Feskens (1) , A. Santoro (2, 3, 4, 5) , R. Ostan (4, 5, 3) , B. Pietruszka (6) , A. Brzozowska (6) , A. Stelmaszczyk-Kusz (6) , A. Jennings (7, 8) , R. Gillings (7, 8) , A. Cassidy (7, 8) , A. Caille (9, 10) , E. Caumon (9, 10) , Corinne Malpuech Brugere (11, 10) , C. Franceschi (2, 3, 4, 5, 12) , Lcpgm de Groot (1)

1 Division of Human Nutrition
2 Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine
3 UNIBO - Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna = University of Bologna
4 CIG - Centro Interdipartimentale « L. Galvani»
5 Alma Mater Studiorum
6 Department of Human Nutrition
7 Department of Nutrition & Preventive Medicine
8 UEA - University of East Anglia [Norwich]
9 CHU Clermont-Ferrand
10 Centre de Recherche en Nutrition Humaine
11 UNH - Unité de Nutrition Humaine
12 IRCCS - Institute of Neurological Science of Bologna

BACKGROUND: The Mediterranean Diet has been proposed as an effective strategy to reduce inflammaging, a chronic low grade inflammatory status, and thus, to slow down the aging process. We evaluated whether a Mediterranean-like dietary pattern specifically targeting dietary recommendations of people aged over 65 years (NU-AGE diet) could be effective to shift dietary intake of older adults towards a healthful diet. METHODS: Adults aged 65(-)80 years across five EU-centers were randomly assigned to a NU-AGE diet group or control group. The diet group followed one year of NU-AGE dietary intervention specifying consumption of 15 food groups plus the use of a vitamin D supplement. Participants in the diet group received counselling and individually tailored dietary advice, food products and a vitamin D supplement. Dietary intake was assessed by means of seven-day food records at baseline and one-year follow-up. A continuous NU-AGE index (0(-)160 points) was developed to assess NU-AGE diet adherence. RESULTS: In total 1296 participants were randomized and 1141 participants completed the intervention (571 intervention, 570 control). After one year, the diet group improved mean intake of 13 out of 16 NU-AGE dietary components (p < 0.05), with a significant increase in total NU-AGE index (difference in mean change = 21.3 +/- 15.9 points, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The NU-AGE dietary intervention, based on dietary recommendations for older adults, consisting of individual dietary counselling, free healthy foods and a vitamin D supplement, may be a feasible strategy to improve dietary intake in an aging European population.

Mots clés: Mediterranean-like diet; dietary intervention; inflammaging

Domaines: Alimentation et Nutrition

A. A. M. Berendsen, O. van de Rest, E. J. M. Feskens, A. Santoro, R. Ostan, et al.. Changes in Dietary Intake and Adherence to the NU-AGE Diet Following a One-Year Dietary Intervention among European Older Adults-Results of the NU-AGE Randomized Trial. Nutrients, 2018, 10 (12), ⟨10.3390/nu10121905⟩. ⟨hal-01962846⟩