Functional Frailty, Dietary Intake, and Risk of Malnutrition.

Moradell et al (2021)

Frailty is a condition that may be reversed and is closely tied to physical health and nutritional status. Different scales are used to evaluate older persons for their risk of being frail, but the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), which has received less research, may be more suitable than others for measuring physical performance in exercise treatments. The study's main objectives were to: (1) describe differences in nutrient intakes by SPPB groups (robust, pre-frail, and frail); (2) examine the association between frailty and malnutrition risk; and (3) describe differences in nutrient intake between those at risk of malnutrition and those without risk in the no-frail population. The findings showed variations in vitamin D consumption between frail and robust persons as well as differences in the intake of carbohydrates, n-3 fatty acids (n3), and saturated fatty acids for frail, pre-frail, and robust individuals (all p < 0.05). The likelihood of becoming feeble was around eight times higher in individuals at risk of malnutrition than in those at low risk. Between individuals at risk of malnutrition and those who were not, there were significant differences in nutritional consumption, notably in protein, PUFA n-3, retinol, ascorbic acid, niacin equivalents, folic acid, magnesium, and potassium. Additionally, differences in alcohol consumption were seen, with those at risk of malnutrition consuming more of it (all p < 0.05). In conclusion, varied intakes of nutrients associated with muscle metabolism were found among SPPB physical function groups. In order to avoid frailty, the consumption of these specific nutrients linked to the risk of malnutrition needs to be encouraged.