Mediterranean Diet May Help Prevent Frailty
Adhering to a Mediterranean style of eating, with an emphasis on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts, may prevent frailty in older adults, according to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May 2022). The study included 2,384 adults with an average age of 60 who were not frail and were studied for at least one year. They are part of a large study, called the Framingham Offspring Study. Participants answered questionnaires and were given a diet score based on how closely they adhered to a Mediterranean-style eating pattern. The researchers found that each one-unit higher score reduced the odds of frailty by 3% over 11 years. Higher intake of carotenoids (found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables) was associated with the greatest reduced risk—each 10 mg higher intake reduced the odds of frailty by 16%.
