Multidimensional Health Impact of Multicomponent Exercise and Sustainable Healthy Diet Interventions in the Elderly (MED-E): Study Protocol

Abstract

Data concerning the combined effect of diet and exercise interventions on overall health in the elderly are scarce. The MED-E project’s primary aim is to assess the effect of the different 3-month sustainable healthy diet (SHD) and multicomponent training (MT) interventions on several health outcomes in the elderly. A quasi-experimental study assigned older adults into four groups: (1) SHD, (2) MT, (3) SHD + MT, or (4) control group (CG). The SHD intervention included a weekly offer of a mixed food supply and individual and group nutritional sessions on the principles of an SHD. The MT groups were submitted to 50-min exercise sessions three times a week. The primary outcomes were blood biomarkers and metabolic profile alterations that were assessed pre- and post-intervention. Additionally, data on dietary intake and nutritional adequacy, physical fitness, body composition and anthropometry, cognitive function, quality of life, and geographical data were assessed at the same time points. The MED-E project’s study protocol and future results will add to knowledge about the importance and beneficial contribution of combined SHD and MT interventions on healthy ageing policies.

Effect of a nutritional intervention associated with different models of physical training on health parameters of adult and elderly women: A Randomized Trial

“…A 2018 study evaluated the quality of life of 407 elderly individuals, as well as their nutritional status and dietary parameters. This study indicated that elderly individuals who did not have good nutritional status, had no appetite or had a dietary pattern outside of their energy needs, reported lower quality of life determinants compared to elderly individuals who had an interest in a dietary pattern according to their needs 24 . Our study is consistent with these results, where it can be observed that the combined and nutrition groups presented signi cant results compared to the combined group, which did not receive nutritional guidance.…”