Nutrition as a determinant of successful aging: description of the Quebec longitudinal study Nuage and results from cross-sectional pilot studies.

Optimal nutrition is essential for general well being, maintenance of physical and functional capacities and prevention of chronic disease in the elderly. The 5-year longitudinal study, NuAge, was designed to assess the pivotal role of nutrition on physical and cognitive status, functional autonomy and social functioning. A cohort of 1793 men and women, selected from three age groups (68-72, 73-77, 78-82) at recruitment, has been followed annually since 2003-2004. A plurimethodological approach, including basic, clinical, epidemiologic, and social research has been used. Data on various facets of nutritional status (diet, food habits, appetite, anthropometry and body composition), and functional (muscle strength, physical activity, physical and functional capacities and performance), medical (physical, mental and cognitive health, medication) and social data (network, support, participation) are collected by questionnaires or direct measurements. Blood, urine, and saliva samples are also collected and processed for genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and biochemical analyses and to study markers of endocrine, immune, and cognitive functions. Selected bio-psycho-social characteristics of the cohort, consumption of macronutrients, and biologic variables are presented, including the impact of intake of certain foods on total antioxidant status. Understanding the aging process as regulated by a modifiable factor such as nutrition should facilitate the development of targeted strategies for promoting successful aging.

[1]  B. Singer,et al.  Increases in Serum Non‐High‐Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol May Be Beneficial in Some High‐Functioning Older Adults: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging , 2004, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[2]  E. Ackerman,et al.  Glucose oxidase method for continuous automated blood glucose determination. , 1969, Clinical chemistry.

[3]  E. Heikkinen,et al.  Muscle strength and mobility as predictors of survival in 75-84-year-old people. , 1995, Age and ageing.

[4]  J. Rowe,et al.  Successful aging. , 1998, Aging.

[5]  D. Hanley,et al.  The Canadian SCORE questionnaire: optimizing the use of technology for low bone density assessment. Simple Calculated Osteoporosis Risk Estimate. , 2000, Journal of clinical densitometry : the official journal of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry.

[6]  Byung Pal Yu,et al.  Methods in Aging Research , 1998 .

[7]  American Society of Hand Therapists , 1983 .

[8]  V. Leirer,et al.  Development and validation of a geriatric depression screening scale: a preliminary report. , 1982, Journal of psychiatric research.

[9]  Elizabeth Breeze,et al.  Weight, shape, and mortality risk in older persons: elevated waist-hip ratio, not high body mass index, is associated with a greater risk of death. , 2006, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[10]  B. Shatenstein,et al.  Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire. , 2007, Canadian journal of dietetic practice and research : a publication of Dietitians of Canada = Revue canadienne de la pratique et de la recherche en dietetique : une publication des Dietetistes du Canada.

[11]  H. Payette,et al.  Vitamin C augments lymphocyte glutathione in subjects with ascorbate deficiency. , 2003, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[12]  Diane Podsiadlo,et al.  The Timed “Up & Go”: A Test of Basic Functional Mobility for Frail Elderly Persons , 1991, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[13]  S. Z. Nagi.  An epidemiology of disability among adults in the United States. , 1976, The Milbank Memorial Fund quarterly. Health and society.

[14]  C. Rice-Evans,et al.  Total antioxidant status in plasma and body fluids. , 1994, Methods in enzymology.

[15]  R. Hébert,et al.  The Functional Autonomy Measurement System (SMAF): description and validation of an instrument for the measurement of handicaps. , 1988, Age and ageing.

[16]  W. Strawbridge,et al.  The Dynamics of Disability and Functional Change in an Elderly Cohort: Results from the Alameda County Study , 1992, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[17]  W C Chumlea,et al.  Body size, subcutaneous fatness and total body fat in older adults. , 1984, International journal of obesity.

[18]  H. Payette,et al.  Nutrition factors in relation to cellular and regulatory immune variables in a free-living elderly population. , 1990, The American journal of clinical nutrition.

[19]  J. Shaw,et al.  Metabolic syndrome—a new world‐wide definition. A Consensus Statement from the International Diabetes Federation , 2006, Diabetic medicine : a journal of the British Diabetic Association.

[20]  T. Dwyer,et al.  Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition and aging in a population-based older cohort , 2007, International Journal of Obesity.

[21]  L. Ferrucci,et al.  A short physical performance battery assessing lower extremity function: association with self-reported disability and prediction of mortality and nursing home admission. , 1994, Journal of gerontology.

[22]  H. Chui,et al.  The Modified Mini-Mental State (3MS) examination. , 1987, The Journal of clinical psychiatry.

[23]  J. Desrosiers,et al.  Reliability of the revised functional autonomy measurement system (SMAF) for epidemiological research. , 1995, Age and ageing.

[24]  Paul Zimmet,et al.  The metabolic syndrome—a new worldwide definition , 2005, The Lancet.

[25]  P. Gaulin,et al.  Valued Activities of Everyday Life Among the Very Old , 2001 .

[26]  L. Chambless,et al.  Risk factors for progression to incident hyperinsulinemia: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, 1987-1998. , 2003, American journal of epidemiology.

[27]  R. Stine,et al.  Development and validation of a simple questionnaire to facilitate identification of women likely to have low bone density. , 1998, The American journal of managed care.

[28]  H. Payette,et al.  An approach for evaluating lifelong intakes of functional foods in elderly people. , 2003, The Journal of nutrition.

[29]  Suzanne G. Leveille,et al.  Coimpairments: strength and balance as predictors of severe walking disability. , 1999, The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences.

[30]  R A Boileau,et al.  The physical activity scale for the elderly (PASE): evidence for validity. , 1999, Journal of clinical epidemiology.

[31]  T. Lennie,et al.  Assessment of hunger and appetite and their relationship to food intake in persons with HIV infection. , 2001, The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANAC.

[32]  R. Lyons,et al.  Evidence for the validity of the Short-form 36 Questionnaire (SF-36) in an elderly population. , 1994, Age and ageing.

[33]  L. Fried,et al.  "Successful aging": effect of subclinical cardiovascular disease. , 2003, Archives of internal medicine.

[34]  T. Lohman,et al.  Anthropometric Standardization Reference Manual , 1988 .

[35]  A. Raynaud-Simon.  Levels of plasma insulin-like growth factor I (IGF I), IGF II, IGF binding proteins, type 1 IGF receptor and growth hormone binding protein in community-dwelling elderly subjects with no malnutrition and no inflammation. , 2003, The journal of nutrition, health & aging.

[36]  B. Vellas,et al.  Study Design for Nutritional Assessments in the Elderly , 1998 .

[37]  H. Payette,et al.  Muscle strength and functional mobility in relation to lean body mass in free-living frail elderly women , 1998, European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

[38]  A. Jette,et al.  The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE): development and evaluation. , 1993, Journal of clinical epidemiology.

[39]  G. Fillenbaum,et al.  The development, validity, and reliability of the OARS multidimensional functional assessment questionnaire. , 1981, Journal of gerontology.