Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life

Objectives: Our study evaluated the independent and overall associations of vegetable and fruit consumption at midlife with the likelihood of physical frailty in later life. We also investigated whether specific nutrients in these foods could have accounted for these associations, if present. Design...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kevin Yiqiang Chua, Huiqi Li, Li-Ting Sheng, Wee-Shiong Lim, Woon-Puay Koh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1279770724004615
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846160430302494720
author Kevin Yiqiang Chua
Huiqi Li
Li-Ting Sheng
Wee-Shiong Lim
Woon-Puay Koh
author_facet Kevin Yiqiang Chua
Huiqi Li
Li-Ting Sheng
Wee-Shiong Lim
Woon-Puay Koh
author_sort Kevin Yiqiang Chua
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: Our study evaluated the independent and overall associations of vegetable and fruit consumption at midlife with the likelihood of physical frailty in later life. We also investigated whether specific nutrients in these foods could have accounted for these associations, if present. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: A population-based cohort of Chinese adults followed over a period of 20 years in Singapore. Participants: We used data from 11,959 subjects who participated in the baseline (1993–1998) and follow-up 3 (2014–2017) interviews of the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Measurements: At baseline, dietary intake was evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. During the follow-up 3 visits, physical frailty was assessed using a modified Cardiovascular Health Study phenotype that included weakness, slowness, exhaustion and weight loss. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations with physical frailty. Results: Participants had mean ages of 52 years at baseline, and 72 years at follow-up 3. Baseline intake of vegetables, but not of fruits, showed a dose-dependent inverse relationship with physical frailty at follow-up 3 (Ptrend = 0.001). Compared to participants in the lowest quintile of vegetable intake, those in the highest quintile had reduced odds of frailty [OR (95% CI): 0.73 (0.60−0.89)]. Among the components of physical frailty, vegetable intake had the strongest inverse association with weakness defined by handgrip strength [OR (95% CI) between extreme quintiles: 0.62 (0.52−0.73); Ptrend < 0.001]. In models that were individually adjusted for nutrients, the vegetable-frailty association was attenuated and no longer statistically significant after adjusting for the intake of β-carotene, lutein, folate, α-carotene, and isothiocyanates. Conclusion: : Increased midlife intake of vegetables was associated with reduced odds of physical frailty in later life, and the intake of β-carotene, lutein, folate, α-carotene, and isothiocyanates could have accounted for this association.
format Article
id doaj-art-cf890ddce23749b7880b44d38bdbdb22
institution Kabale University
issn 1760-4788
language English
publishDate 2024-11-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging
spelling doaj-art-cf890ddce23749b7880b44d38bdbdb222024-11-22T07:36:31ZengElsevierThe Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging1760-47882024-11-012811100374Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later lifeKevin Yiqiang Chua0Huiqi Li1Li-Ting Sheng2Wee-Shiong Lim3Woon-Puay Koh4Integrative Sciences and Engineering Programme, NUS Graduate School, National University of Singapore, SingaporeHealthy Longevity Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Environment and Health and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubating), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; The Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou Municipal Hospital, Gusu School, Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, ChinaDepartment of Geriatric Medicine, Institute of Geriatrics and Active Aging, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, SingaporeHealthy Longevity Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore; Corresponding author.Objectives: Our study evaluated the independent and overall associations of vegetable and fruit consumption at midlife with the likelihood of physical frailty in later life. We also investigated whether specific nutrients in these foods could have accounted for these associations, if present. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: A population-based cohort of Chinese adults followed over a period of 20 years in Singapore. Participants: We used data from 11,959 subjects who participated in the baseline (1993–1998) and follow-up 3 (2014–2017) interviews of the Singapore Chinese Health Study. Measurements: At baseline, dietary intake was evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. During the follow-up 3 visits, physical frailty was assessed using a modified Cardiovascular Health Study phenotype that included weakness, slowness, exhaustion and weight loss. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations with physical frailty. Results: Participants had mean ages of 52 years at baseline, and 72 years at follow-up 3. Baseline intake of vegetables, but not of fruits, showed a dose-dependent inverse relationship with physical frailty at follow-up 3 (Ptrend = 0.001). Compared to participants in the lowest quintile of vegetable intake, those in the highest quintile had reduced odds of frailty [OR (95% CI): 0.73 (0.60−0.89)]. Among the components of physical frailty, vegetable intake had the strongest inverse association with weakness defined by handgrip strength [OR (95% CI) between extreme quintiles: 0.62 (0.52−0.73); Ptrend < 0.001]. In models that were individually adjusted for nutrients, the vegetable-frailty association was attenuated and no longer statistically significant after adjusting for the intake of β-carotene, lutein, folate, α-carotene, and isothiocyanates. Conclusion: : Increased midlife intake of vegetables was associated with reduced odds of physical frailty in later life, and the intake of β-carotene, lutein, folate, α-carotene, and isothiocyanates could have accounted for this association.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1279770724004615FrailtyDietVegetableFruitAgeing
spellingShingle Kevin Yiqiang Chua
Huiqi Li
Li-Ting Sheng
Wee-Shiong Lim
Woon-Puay Koh
Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging
Frailty
Diet
Vegetable
Fruit
Ageing
title Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
title_full Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
title_fullStr Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
title_full_unstemmed Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
title_short Intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
title_sort intake of vegetables and fruits at midlife and the risk of physical frailty in later life
topic Frailty
Diet
Vegetable
Fruit
Ageing
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1279770724004615
work_keys_str_mv AT kevinyiqiangchua intakeofvegetablesandfruitsatmidlifeandtheriskofphysicalfrailtyinlaterlife
AT huiqili intakeofvegetablesandfruitsatmidlifeandtheriskofphysicalfrailtyinlaterlife
AT litingsheng intakeofvegetablesandfruitsatmidlifeandtheriskofphysicalfrailtyinlaterlife
AT weeshionglim intakeofvegetablesandfruitsatmidlifeandtheriskofphysicalfrailtyinlaterlife
AT woonpuaykoh intakeofvegetablesandfruitsatmidlifeandtheriskofphysicalfrailtyinlaterlife