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
by
Agnes A. M. Berendsen 1,*
, Ondine Van de Rest 1, Edith J. M. Feskens 1, Aurelia Santoro 2,3, Rita Ostan 3, Barbara Pietruszka 4, Anna Brzozowska 4, Agnieszka Stelmaszczyk-Kusz 4, Amy Jennings 5, Rachel Gillings 5, Aedin Cassidy 5, Aurélie Caille 6, Elodie Caumon 6, Corinne Malpuech-Brugere 7, Claudio Franceschi 2,3,8 and Lisette C. P. G. M. De Groot 1
Agnes A. M. Berendsen 1,*, Ondine Van de Rest 1, Edith J. M. Feskens 1, Aurelia Santoro 2,3, Rita Ostan 3, Barbara Pietruszka 4, Anna Brzozowska 4, Agnieszka Stelmaszczyk-Kusz 4, Amy Jennings 5, Rachel Gillings 5, Aedin Cassidy 5, Aurélie Caille 6, Elodie Caumon 6, Corinne Malpuech-Brugere 7, Claudio Franceschi 2,3,8 and Lisette C. P. G. M. De Groot 1
1
Division of Human Nutrition, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
2
Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via San Giacomo, 12, 40126 Bologna, Italy
3
C.I.G. Interdepartmental Center “L. Galvani”, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via G. Petroni 26, 40126 Bologna, Italy
4
Department of Human Nutrition, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), Nowoursynowska 159 C, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
5
Department of Nutrition & Preventive Medicine, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK
6
CHU Clermont Ferrand, CRNH Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
7
Université Clermont Auvergne, INRA, UNH, Unité de Nutrition Humaine, CRNH Auvergne, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
8
Institute of Neurological Sciences (IRCCS), Via Altura, 3, 40139 Bologna, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2018, 10(12), 1905; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10121905
Received: 15 November 2018 / Revised: 27 November 2018 / Accepted: 28 November 2018 / Published: 4 December 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dietary Interventions: From Development to Assessment of Efficacy and Effectiveness)
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.
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Keywords:
dietary intervention; Mediterranean-like diet; inflammaging
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MDPI and ACS Style
Berendsen, A.A.M.; Van de Rest, O.; Feskens, E.J.M.; Santoro, A.; Ostan, R.; Pietruszka, B.; Brzozowska, A.; Stelmaszczyk-Kusz, A.; Jennings, A.; Gillings, R.; Cassidy, A.; Caille, A.; Caumon, E.; Malpuech-Brugere, C.; Franceschi, C.; De Groot, L.C.P.G.M. 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, 1905.
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