Malnutrition in the elderly could be tackled by addressing socioeconomic factors. This study aimed to determine the magnitude of the relationship between socioeconomic factors and the malnutrition or malnutrition risk (MR) in the elderly. The PubMed and SCOPUS databases were searched for observational studies that included assessment of malnutrition or/and MR and socioeconomic variables (educational level, living alone, marital status, income and occupational level, feeling of loneliness, place of residence, and food expenditure) in ≥60-year-old subjects, published in English among 2000–2018 (PROSPERO: CRD42019137097). The systematic review included 40 observational studies (34 cross-sectional and 4 cohort studies) and 16 cross-sectional studies in the meta-analysis (34,703 individuals) of malnutrition and MR in relation to low educational level (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.48; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.33–1.64; p < 0.001), living alone (OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.73–2.14; p < 0.001), being single, widowed, or divorced (OR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.57–1.90; p < 0.001), and low income level (OR: 2.69; 95% CI: 2.35–3.08; p < 0.001), and considering these four socioeconomic factors, malnutrition and MR is associated with them (OR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.73–1.93; p < 0.001). Malnutrition and MR could be reduced by increasing economic level, supporting people living alone or being single, widowed, and divorced, and improving lifelong learning.

Sarcopenia is a disabling muscular multifactorial disease involving the oxidation process in old-young adults. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between antioxidant-rich foods (A-RF) and sarcopenia (muscle mass, strength, and function) based on observational studies (OS), and to assess the effectiveness of antioxidant interventions in ≥55-year-old adults via randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Moreover, to confirm if the OS results were in accordance with the RCTs results. We searched in the MEDLINE®/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases from 2000 to 2020 about sarcopenia and specific nutrients/foods. The risk of bias was assessed and meta-analyses were performed using the Review Manager program. The systematic review included 28 studies (19 OS, 9 RCTs), whereas the meta-analysis included 4 RCTs. Results of the systematic review of OS revealed that higher A-RF consumption was associated with better sarcopenia outcomes. Results of the RCTs meta-analysis indicated that higher fruit/vegetable consumption, supplementation with magnesium, and vitamin E plus vitamin D and protein significantly reduced the time to complete 5 stands (mean difference; 95% CI; -1.11 s; 1.70, -0.51; p < 0.01). Additionally, including tea catechin supplementation significantly increased handgrip strength (1.02 kg; 0.60, 1.44; p < 0.01). In sum, A-RF or antioxidant supplementation could be effective tools for sarcopenia, especially improving muscle strength and function. The best interventions according to the meta-analysis of the RCTs were supplementation of vitamin E in combination with vitamin D and protein, magnesium, tea catechins, and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. PROSPERO (CRD42020183045).

Background: Adolescents who participate as peer leaders can benefit and acquire competencies from their peer leadership experience.Objectives: To identify the competencies gained by adolescents who participated as peer leaders in a healthy lifestyle study and to determine whether the training characteristics were related to improvement in competencies.Design: The present study was part of the European Youth Tackling Obesity (EYTO) project, a multicentre social marketing intervention involving four European countries.Setting and Participants: Eighteen peer leaders (aged 13–15 years, three or five leaders per country) from disadvantaged neighbourhoods received training in designing and implementing activities for their peers.Measures: The peer leaders' confidence, experience and interest in 11 tasks related to lifelong learning competencies were assessed with questions rated on a colour scale at baseline and at the end of the study.Results: The peer leaders demonstrated improvements in experience, confidence and interest in different tasks, such as research, website or logo design, oral presentations, social media use and collaboration with people from other countries. They increased their confidence in management tasks (p = 0.03) and their confidence and experience in communication tasks (p = 0.01). The peer leaders from Spain and Portugal had greater improvements than those from the other countries.Conclusion: The peer leaders improved their confidence in management tasks and their confidence and experience in communication tasks. Slight differences were detected in improvement in competencies by country, likely due to the differences in the peer training applied. Recommendations for peer leader training are proposed, although these results should be verified with larger sample size.Patient or Public Contribution: The peer leaders contributed to the design and implementation of the training and intervention.

Background: Low muscle mass quantity/quality is needed to confirm sarcopenia diagnosis; however, no validated cut-off points exist. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of sarcopenia through muscle mass quantity/quality parameters, using the bioimpedance analysis (BIA), isokinetic, and ultrasound tools in probable sarcopenic community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years). Also, it aimed to suggest possible new cut-off points to confirm sarcopenia diagnosis. Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory analysis study was performed with probable sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic older adults. BIA, isokinetic, and ultrasound parameters were evaluated. The protocol was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05485402). Results: A total of 50 individuals were included, 38 with probable sarcopenia (69.63 ± 4.14 years; 7 men and 31 women) and 12 non-sarcopenic (67.58 ± 4.54 years; 7 men and 5 women). The phase angle (cut-off: 5.10° men, p = 0.003; 4.95° women, p < 0.001), peak torque (cut-off: 66.75 Newtons-meters (N-m) men, p < 0.001; 48.35 N-m women, p < 0.001), total work (cut-off: 64.00 Joules (J) men, p = 0.007; 54.70 J women, p = 0.001), and mean power (cut-off: 87.8 Watts (W) men, p = 0.003; 48.95 W women, p = 0.008) in leg extension, as well as the the forearm muscle thickness (cut-off: 1.41 cm (cm) men, p = 0.017; 0.94 cm women, p = 0.041), had great diagnostic accuracy in both sexes. Conclusions: The phase angle, peak torque, total work, and mean power in leg extension, as well as forearm muscle thickness, had great diagnostic accuracy in regard to sarcopenia, and the suggested cut-off points could lead to the confirmation of sarcopenia diagnosis, but more studies are needed to confirm this.

Background: Management of sarcopenia by nutritional and lifestyle interventions is a challenge. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of a phenolic‐rich extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), alone or combined with a prebiotic (PREB) (fructooligosaccharides and inulin), to improve skeletal muscle mass and function in home‐dwelling older adults (60–80 years) with at least one sarcopenia parameter altered. Methods: A 12‐week randomised, double‐blind, parallel, placebo‐controlled, three‐arm clinical trial was conducted. Intervention groups were as follows: (1) refined olive oil (ROO; 30 mL/day; 90‐mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); (2) EVOO (30 mL/day; 296–300‐mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); or (3) EVOO + prebiotic (EVOO + PREB; 30 mL/day + 7.5 g/day). Everyone followed co‐created dietary and physical activity recommendations. A 12‐week follow‐up after intervention cessation was assessed. Results: Thirty‐eight participants (69.6 ± 4.1 years; 31 women) with probable sarcopenia were assigned to ROO ( n = 13), EVOO ( n = 14) or EVOO + PREB ( n = 11) intervention groups. At the end‐of‐intervention, assessed by ultrasound, EVOO + PREB compared to EVOO significantly increased muscle thickness of the quadriceps in females, mean (95% CI) (0.230 cm [0.008; 0.45], p = 0.044), cross‐sectional area of the rectus femoris in all populations (0.827 cm ² [0.16; 1.5], p = 0.017) and females (0.569 cm ² [−1.0; −0.08], p = 0.024), and rectus femoris muscle thickness in all population (0.195 cm [0.04; 0.35] p = 0.015) and females (0.179 cm [0.05; 0.31] p = 0.009). Also, EVOO + PREB compared to ROO increased the cross‐sectional area of the rectus femoris (0.579 cm ² [0.07; 1.1], p = 0.026) and rectus femoris muscle thickness (0.133 cm [0.00; 0.27], p = 0.050) in females. At 12‐week follow‐up, EVOO and EVOO + PREB, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in all populations assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Also, EVOO, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. In addition, at 12‐week follow‐up, EVOO, compared to ROO, improved the overall quality of life score in females. Conclusions: Consuming phenolic‐rich EVOO, alone or combined with prebiotics, improved muscle mass assessed by ultrasound at the end‐of‐intervention and by BIA at 12‐week follow‐up. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results. Trial Registration: Registration number: NCT05485402; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05485402 ; registration date: 03/08/2022.

The consumption of out-of-home meals is increasing. This study is aimed at assessing the effect of an intervention on healthy offerings and the management of food allergies and intolerances. Ten (control group) and eight restaurants (intervention group) were randomized in a 12-month parallel controlled trial. The outcomes were changes regarding adherence to the Mediterranean diet (AMed) and gluten management (SMAP) criteria, the traffic light rating category, nutrients, and gluten- and allergen-free content of dishes. After 12 months, and compared with baseline, there was an improvement of ≥25% in four items of the AMed criteria in the intervention group, whereas an increase in the offer of dairy desserts without added sugar, and a decrease in the first course offerings of vegetables and/or legumes were observed in the control group (p < 0.05). Also, after 12 months, there was an improvement of ≥50% in four SMAP criteria (p < 0.05) and in the mean average of all SMAP criteria (p = 0.021) compared with baseline in the intervention group, in which intra- and inter-group improvements for desserts in traffic light ratings, nutrients, and allergens were observed (p < 0.05). Therefore, the intervention showed beneficial effects, improving the quality of menus toward the Mediterranean diet pattern and gluten and food allergy/intolerance management.