Higher Protein Intake Helps Protect Against Weight Loss in the Elderly

by | Jan 15, 2016 | 2014, Aging, Alternative Therapies, Proteins

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Protein intake less than 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight* led to a 156% increased risk of severe weight loss in the elderly.  

When it comes to weight loss, most of the focus is on the 365,000 deaths in the United States attributable to being overweight or obese (1) that cost our healthcare system $344 billion per year (2).  But for Americans over the age of 70, weight loss is a health hazard, not a benefit (3, 4). It is an important risk factor for frailty (5, 6), limiting mobility (7), disability (8), institutionalization (9), and even decreased survival (10). Thus, helping prevent weight loss in elderly adults can have far-reaching social and economic benefits.

Now a new study (11) suggests increased protein intake may be a viable option to help prevent weight loss in the elderly. In the nested, prospective, case control study, researchers analyzed the diets of 422 community-living elderly adults participating in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Nutrition as a Determinant of Successful Aging (12). They looked at the diets of 211 subjects who had lost at least 5% of weight over the course of 1 year and compared them to 211 adults who had maintained a stable weight (no more than 2% of weight loss) over the previous year.
After adjusting for body mass index, calorie intake, appetite, smoking status, physical activity level, physical function, depressive symptoms, chronic diseases and medications, the researchers found that those with a protein intake less than 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight* had a 156% increased risk of having debilitating weight loss compared to those with a protein intake of at least 1.2 g protein/kg bodyweight (p = 0.005). For protein intake between 0.8 and 1.0 g protein/kg bodyweight, there was a 115% increased risk (p = 0.005). Finally, for protein intake between 1.0 and 1.2 g protein/kg bodyweight, there was a 33% increased risk of debilitating weight loss (p = 0.005).

The researcher cited protein’s ability to maintain lean body mass (13) as the primary way weight was maintained for those with the highest intakes. For the researchers, “Our results suggest that protein intakes greater than 1.0 g per kg bodyweight per day are protective against weight loss in healthy older adults” and that “These findings add epidemiologic evidence in support of higher optimal protein intakes than the current guidelines for healthy older adults.”

*0.8 grams per kilogram=56 grams of protein per day for a 154 lb. (70 kg) person.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

Source: Gray-Donald, Katherine, et al. “Protein intake protects against weight loss in healthy community-dwelling older adults.” The Journal of nutrition 144.3 (2014): 321-326.

© 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Posted April 11, 2014. 

References:

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