E-Poster Presentation 30th Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2020

Mediterranean diet adherence and its associations with circulating cytokines, musculoskeletal health and incident falls in community-dwelling older men (#89)

Mavil May Cervo 1 , David Scott 1 , Markus Seibel 2 , Robert Cumming 2 , Vasi Naganathan 2 , Fiona Blyth 2 , David Le Couteur 2 , David Handelsman 2 , Louise Waite 2 , Vasant Hirani 2
  1. Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, VICTORIA, Australia
  2. University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Objective: This study aimed to determine associations of Mediterranean diet adherence with circulating cytokine levels, musculoskeletal health and incident falls in community-dwelling older men.

Methods: 794 community-dwelling men with mean age 81.1+4.5 years, who participated in the 5y follow-up of the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project(CHAMP) were included in the cross-sectional analysis, and 616 attended follow-up 3y later. Mediterranean diet adherence was assessed using MEDI-LITE (literature-derived Mediterranean diet) score. 24 evaluable circulating cytokines were analysed using Bio-Plex Pro Human Cytokine 27-plex Assay kit. Appendicular lean mass (ALM) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). 3y changes in gait speed and hand grip strength were assessed by walking a 6-meter course and using a dynamometer respectively. Incident falls over 3y were determined through telephone interviews every 4 months.

Results: A higher MEDI-LITE score, indicating greater adherence to Mediterranean diet, was associated with higher appendicular lean mass adjusted for body mass index (ALMBMI) (β: 0.004 kg/kg/m2; 95% CI: 0.000, 0.008), lower interleukin-7 (IL-7) (β: -0.017 pg/mL; 95% CI: -0.031, -0.003), and incident falls rates (IRR: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.89, 0.99). Higher consumption of monounsaturated fatty acids (IRR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.59, 0.98) and monounsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids ratio (IRR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.90) were associated with 24%, and 28% lower falls risk in older men respectively. Association between MEDI-LITE scores and 3y incident falls was mediated by IL-7 by 10%. MEDI-LITE scores were not associated with BMD or physical function parameters.

Conclusion: Mediterranean diet adherence is associated with higher ALMBMI, lower levels of IL-7, and fewer falls in older men. Monounsaturated and saturated fatty acids were the most important contributors to the association between Mediterranean diet and falls risk. Association between MEDI-LITE score and incident falls was partly mediated by IL-7.