The effects of an acute resistance exercise bout on appetite and energy intake in healthy older adults.

Ageing is associated with reductions in appetite and food intake leading to unintentional weight loss. Such weight loss, particularly through muscle mass reduction, is associated with muscle weakness and functional decline, which represent predictors of poor health outcomes and contribute to frailty in older adults. Exercise-induced anorexia is an established phenomenon in young adults; however appetite and energy intake (EI) responses to resistance exercise are unknown in older adults. Twenty healthy older adults (68 ± 5 years, BMI 26.2 ± 4.5 kg m-2) undertook two 5-h experimental trials. Participants rested for 30 min before being provided with a standardised breakfast (196 kcal, 75.2% carbohydrate, 8.9% protein and 15.9% fat). Participants then rested for 1-h before completing: 1-h resistance exercise bout followed by 2-h of rest (RE) or, a control condition (CON) where participants rested for 3 h, in a randomised crossover design. Appetite perceptions were measured throughout both trials and on cessation, an ad libitum meal was provided to assess EI. A repeated-mesures ANOVA revealed no significant condition x time interaction for subjective appetite (p = 0.153). However, area under the curve for appetite was significantly lower in the RE compared with CON (49 ± 8 mm h-1 vs. 52 ± 9 mm h-1, p = 0.007, d = 0.27). There was no difference in EI (RE = 681 ± 246 kcal; CON = 673 ± 235 kcal; p = 0.865), suggesting that resistance exercise does not affect EI 2 h post-exercise in older adults despite a significant but modest reduction in appetite over a 5-h period. In conclusion, resistance exercise may be an appropriate means for optimising muscle mass adaptations without attenuating acute EI of older adults.

An Increase in Fat-Free Mass is Associated with Higher Appetite and Energy Intake in Older Adults: A Randomised Control Trial.

Cross-sectional studies in younger adults have demonstrated a positive association between energy intake (EI) and fat-free mass (FFM), with this relationship seemingly mediated by resting metabolic rate (RMR). Establishing a causal effect longitudinally would be prudent in older adults suffering from loss of appetite. We investigated the effects of FFM on RMR, appetite and EI in 39 healthy older adults (age: 66 ± 4 years, BMI: 25.1 ± 3.5 kg∙m2) assigned to either 12-week resistance training + protein supplementation group (RT + PRO) or control group (CON). Body composition, subjective appetite, leptin, insulin, RMR and laboratory-measured ad libitum EI were measured at baseline, weeks 6 and 12 of the intervention, while daily EI at baseline and week 12. FFM (+1.2 kg; p = 0.002), postprandial subjective appetite (+8 mm; p = 0.027), ad libitum EI (+119 kcal; p = 0.012) and daily EI (+133 kcal; p = 0.010) increased from baseline to week 12 in the RT + PRO. RMR, fasted subjective appetite, leptin and insulin concentrations remained unchanged (all p > 0.05). The increases ad libitum EI correlated with increases in FFM (r = 0.527, p = 0.001), with 54% of the change in EI attributed to FFM changes. In conclusion, FFM increases were associated with an increased ad libitum EI and postprandial appetite in older adults.

Effects of a Mediterranean diet on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating effects of MedDiet on blood pressure in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and associations of MedDiet with risk of hypertension in observational studies. METHODS: PubMed, The Cochrane Library and EBSCOhost were searched from inception until January 2020 for studies that met the following criteria: participants aged at least 18 years, RCTs investigating effects of a MedDiet versus control on BP, observational studies exploring associations between MedDiet adherence and risk of hypertension. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were performed for RCTs to identify potential effect moderators. RESULTS: Nineteen RCTs reporting data on 4137 participants and 16 observational studies reporting data on 59 001 participants were included in the meta-analysis. MedDiet interventions reduced SBP and DBP by a mean -1.4 mmHg (95% CI: -2.40 to -0.39 mmHg, P = 0.007, I2 = 53.5%, Q = 44.7, τ2 = 1.65, df = 19) and -1.5 mmHg (95% CI: -2.74 to -0.32 mmHg, P = 0.013, I2 = 71.5%, Q = 51.6, τ2 = 4.72, df = 19) versus control, respectively. Meta-regression revealed that longer study duration and higher baseline SBP was associated with a greater decrease in BP, in response to a MedDiet (P < 0.05). In observational studies, odds of developing hypertension were 13% lower with higher versus lower MedDiet adherence (95% CI: 0.78--0.98, P = 0.017, I2 = 69.6%, Q = 41.1, τ2 = 0.03, df = 17). CONCLUSION: Data suggest that MedDiet is an effective dietary strategy to aid BP control, which may contribute towards the lower risk of CVD reported with this dietary pattern. This study was registered with PROSPERO: CRD42019125073.