Low-grade systemic inflammation is a key driver of muscle degeneration in older adults, and diets with pro-inflammatory properties may further contribute to loss of muscle mass, strength and function. Therefore, this research aimed to explore the associations between the inflammatory potential of the diet and measures of sarcopenia symptomology in community-dwelling older adults. Upper (handgrip strength, HGS) and lower extremity (sit-to-stand) muscle strength, physical performance (timed-up-and-go, TUG) and appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was assessed according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People version 2 (EWGSOP2) criteria. Multiple 24-hr dietary recalls were used to calculate the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), which was then used to group participants into anti- and pro-inflammatory dietary groups. Multiple linear regression investigated associations between DII, muscle strength, physical performance, and muscle quantity adjusted for age, gender, comorbidities, waist circumference and physical activity. Adults 65–85 years (n = 110, 72.1 ± 4.7 years, 76.4% female) were recruited. One participant was identified with sarcopenia, 35.2% were pre-frail, or frail. More participants with a pro-inflammatory DII score had low muscle quantity than those with anti-inflammatory DII (3.4% vs. 6.4%, x² = 4.537, p = 0.043) and DII was negatively associated with HGS (β = −0.157, p = 0.016) and ASM (β = −0.176, p = 0.002) which remained significant after adjusting for covariates. In this population, DII was associated with less favorable muscle strength, physical performance, and muscle quantity.

Prostate cancer survivors treated with androgen deprivation therapy may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Dietary recommendations for the prevention and/or management of cardiovascular disease for these individuals are lacking. This review synthesizes the evidence on the effect of dietary interventions on cardiometabolic biomarkers and cardiovascular disease risk in prostate cancer survivors receiving androgen deprivation therapy. A systematic review was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Intervention or observational cohort studies evaluating diets, nutrients, or nutraceuticals with or without concurrent exercise interventions on cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular events, or cardiovascular disease biomarkers in those treated with androgen deprivation therapy were included. Confidence in the body of evidence was appraised using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. Twelve studies reported across fifteen papers were included. Interventions were heterogenous, with most studies including an exercise co-intervention (n = 8). Few significant findings for the effects of diet on cardiometabolic markers were likely due to weak methodology and sample sizes. Strongest evidence was for the effect of a healthy Western dietary pattern with exercise on improved blood pressure (Confidence: moderate). The healthy Western dietary pattern with exercise may improve high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Confidence: Low) and flow-mediated dilation. Soy may improve total cholesterol (Confidence: Very low). A low-carbohydrate diet with physical activity may improve high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, incidence of metabolic syndrome, and Framingham cardiovascular disease risk score. Evidence of the effect of dietary interventions on cardiometabolic biomarkers and cardiovascular disease risk of prostate cancer survivors receiving androgen deprivation therapy is insufficient to inform practice. Well-designed dietary interventions aimed at improving cardiometabolic outcomes of this population are warranted to inform future dietary recommendations.

Reliable dietary assessment methods underpin the confidence in reported dietary outcome measures including a priori dietary pattern indexes such as the dietary inflammatory index (DII) score. The food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) is commonly used to gather dietary data from which the DII is calculated. The FFQ, however, requires recall of dietary intake over several months. This study aimed to (i) determine the comparability of DII scores calculated from multiple 24 h recalls versus a FFQ, and (ii) identify the number of 24 h recalls required for a comparable DII score. Dietary data were collected from n = 94 community‐dwelling older adults in Australia (73.1 ± 4.8 years, 70.2% female) by an accredited practicing dietitian using four 24 h recalls over a two‐week period and a FFQ. Convergent validity was assessed between each possible comparative product of calculated DII scores by Pearson correlation, paired t ‐test, absolute difference, and Bland Altman analysis. Most participants had a healthy body weight for their age (average BMI = 25.9 ± 4.0 kg/m ² ), were physically active ( n = 91.5%), and were highly educated (Vocational education = 9.6%, Tertiary education = 64.9%). There were positive correlations between the FFQ and one ( r = 0.219, p = 0.034), two ( r = 0.205, p = 0.072), three ( r = 0.334, p = 0.003), and four ( r = 0.444, p ≤ 0.001) 24 h recalls. Bland–Altman plots demonstrated that four 24 h recalls exhibited the closest alignment with FFQ derived DII scores. As the number of recalls increased, the DII scores became more comparable to those from the FFQ. In community‐dwelling older adults, utilizing a minimum of four 24 h recalls to calculate DII scores are comparable to scores calculated from a FFQ.

Background: Osteoporosis poses a significant health and quality-of-life burden on older adults, particularly with associated fractures after a fall. A notable increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with aging contributes to a decline in bone mineral density (BMD). Certain food components have been shown to influence an individual’s inflammatory state and may contribute to optimal bone health as a modifiable risk factor, particularly later in life. This study aims to explore the relationship between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and dietary intake with BMD in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Heathy community-dwelling older adults aged 65–85 years. DII scores were calculated using 24-h dietary recalls, and lumbar spine (L1–L4) and femoral neck (ward’s triangle) BMD was assessed via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results: A total of 94 participants were recruited (72.9 ± 4.9 years, 76.6% female) with 61.7% identified having an anti-inflammatory diet (average DII = − 0.50 ± 1.6), 88.3% were physically active, 47.8% were osteopenic and 27.7% osteoporotic. There was no significant difference between DII scores, nutrient or food group intake in groups stratified by BMD T-Score except for lean meats and alternatives food group (p = 0.027). Multiple regression analysis found no associations between DII and lumbar spine (unadjusted model β = 0.020, p = 0.155) or femoral neck BMD (unadjusted model β = − 0.001, p = 0.866). Conclusion: Most of this cohort of functionally able community-dwelling older adults followed an anti-inflammatory diet. DII and dietary intake were not associated with BMD. This research underlines the complex interplay between modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors on the BMD of older, physically active adults.