Relationship between dietary patterns and physical performance in the very old population: A cross-sectional study from the Kawasaki Aging and Wellbeing Project

Objectives: As the world's population is ageing, improving the physical performance of the older population is becoming important. Although diets are fundamental to maintaining and improving physical performance, few studies have addressed the role of these factors in adults aged ≥85 years, and none have been conducted in Asia. This study aimed to determine the dietary patterns and examine their relationship with physical performance in this population. Design: This cross-sectional study (Kawasaki Aging and Wellbeing Project) estimated food consumption using a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. The results were adjusted for energy after aggregating into 33 groups, excluding possible over- or underestimation. Principal component analysis was used to identify dietary patterns, and outcomes included hand grip strength, timed up-and-go test, and usual walking speed. Setting: This study was set throughout several hospitals in Kawasaki city. Participants: In total, 1,026 community-dwelling older adults (85-89 years) were enrolled. Results: Data of 1,000 participants (median age: 86.9 years, men: 49.9 %) were included in the analysis. Three major dietary patterns (DP1: various foods, DP2: red meats and coffee, DP3: bread and processed meats) were identified. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the score of DP2 was negatively associated with hand grip strength (B, 95% confidence interval: -0.35, -0.64 to -0.06). Conclusions: This study suggests a negative association between hand grip strength and dietary patterns characterised by red meats and coffee in older adults aged ≥85 years in Japan.