A positive association between stroke risk and sarcopenia in men aged ≥ 50 years, but not women: results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2010.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, develops with aging and may be a pivotal risk factor in individual cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We examined whether sarcopenia was positively associated with the prevalence of CVDs, including angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and stroke, in adults of each gender aged ≥50 years, independent of other covariates and possible confounders. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cross-sectional study included 3,009 men and 4,199 women aged ≥550 years who participated in the 2008-2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Sarcopenia was defined as appendicular skeletal muscle mass/body weight <1 (moderate) or 2 (severe) standard deviations below gender-specific means for young adults. CVD prevalence was positively associated with sarcopenia in men after adjusting for confounders involved in CVD risk factors (Class I, OR=1.847 and Class II, OR=2.347; P<0.05). However, no such association was found in women. Furthermore, for individual CVDs, a strong positive association between stroke and sarcopenia (Class I, OR=1.734 and Class II, OR=3.725; P<0.05) and a moderate association between angina pectoris and sarcopenia (Class I, OR=1.988 and Class II, OR=1.347; P<0.05) were observed in men only. Interestingly, only the estimated homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance was greater in men with moderate and severe sarcopenia than in those with normal states, whereas only serum total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in women with severe sarcopenia than in those with normal states. In both genders, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were significantly lower in moderate and severe sarcopenic states. CONCLUSIONS: men aged ≥50 years with sarcopenia showed elevated prevalence of CVDs, especially stroke, in a representative sample of the general South Korean population.

Longitudinal assessment of the nutritional status of elderly veterans.

Elderly persons are at risk for developing malnutrition due to a number of age-related factors, and conversely, malnutrition can worsen declining physiological and psychosocial conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the nutritional status of an elderly, ambulatory outpatient population, and to evaluate change in nutritional status over a 2-year period. The 209 subjects were male veterans, over 65 years of age without acute disease-related nutritional risk factors. Nutrient intake was determined through food recalls and food frequency questionnaires. Anthropometrics included circumferences and skinfolds. Laboratory measures included selected minerals and vitamins, as well as hematological and lipid profiles. Mean intake of nutrients generally met or exceeded the Recommended Dietary Allowances with the exception of calories, although > 25% of subjects consumed inadequate amounts of thiamine, vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium. Few subjects were found to be extremely underweight or obese, although skinfolds decreased over the two years. Mean laboratory measures were within normal range with the exception of selenium, cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein. Dietary, biochemical, and anthropometric data indicate good nutritional status in general, although dietary vitamin C, vitamin A, and calcium may be poor in subgroups; body fat as assessed by skinfolds appeared to decline; and selenium, lipid profiles, and hematological profiles warrant further investigation.

Intake of 25 g of soybean protein with or without soybean fiber alters plasma lipids in men with elevated cholesterol concentrations.

Twenty-one mildly hypercholesterolemic men consumed a diet that was low in fat (< 30% of energy) and cholesterol (300 mg/d) and were given muffins containing 25 g protein + 20 g dietary fiber daily from either isolated soybean protein + soybean cotyledon fiber, isolated soybean protein + cellulose, casein + soybean cotyledon fiber or casein + cellulose. All subjects progressed through the low fat, low cholesterol baseline period, lasting 2 wk, and then through all four dietary treatments, lasting 4 wk each, according to a Latin square design. Plasma concentrations of total, LDL, HDL and VLDL cholesterol, total and VLDL triacylglycerols, and apolipoprotein A-I and B were measured at the end of each period. When data from all subjects were analyzed, dietary treatments did not influence lipemia; however, in subjects with initial total cholesterol concentrations > 5.7 mmol/L, both isolated soybean protein treatments resulted in significantly lower total cholesterol compared with the two casein treatments (P < 0.05). In addition, a negative linear relationship was observed when a subject's total or LDL cholesterol change after each of the soybean treatments was regressed against the subject's baseline cholesterol concentration (P < 0.05). Apolipoprotein A-I varied dependent on baseline cholesterol with no apparent pattern, whereas apolipoprotein B levels were not affected. Results indicate that consumption of 25 g soybean protein/d is associated with lower total cholesterol concentrations in individuals with initial cholesterol concentrations > 5.7 mmol/L.