Overview
Methods to Study the Association Between Nutrition and Frailty
Diet is one of the most important modifiable factors that can affect frailty and the aging process (Kiefte-de Jong et al. 2014; Schoufour et al. 2019b). It can be studied from different perspectives. Traditionally, most research on nutrition and frailty is concentrated on the effects of single nutrients (e.g., proteins, vitamin D), single foods (e.g., kiwis, wine), or food groups (e.g., vegetables, dairy). The advantage of this approach is that they lead to clear dietary advice, often supported by biological pathways. For example, the established association between low protein intake and frailty has led to increased awareness of protein supplementation in frail older populations. Nevertheless, this approach also has its limitations. People do not consume single nutrients but foods that are combined into meals and follow a pattern throughout the day. Nutrients and foods may interact together in influencing...
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Schoufour, J.D. (2020). Nutrition and Frailty. In: Gu, D., Dupre, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Gerontology and Population Aging. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69892-2_362-1
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