Scientists Identify Foods That Threaten Mobility in Older Adults
An international team of researchers has found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) leads to a decline in physical strength — specifically, slower walking speed in both men and women, and weaker grip strength in men. The study was published in the journal Nutrients.
The research analyzed data from 2,547 participants of the Framingham Offspring Cohort study, who were followed for an average of 10.8 years.
Each additional daily serving of UPFs was linked to a decrease in walking speed of 0.001 meters per second per year. Among men, there was also a decline in grip strength of 0.02 kilograms per year (p = 0.04).
“The results suggest that ultra-processed foods may contribute to a gradual loss of mobility and strength,” said Shivani Sahni, Director of the Nutrition Program at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School.
“Limiting the intake of UPFs and focusing on whole, nutrient-rich foods is an important step toward maintaining physical fitness and promoting healthy aging,” added Elza Konczynski, the study’s lead author from Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
According to the authors, the findings highlight the key role of nutrition in preserving health during aging and the need for further research into the biological mechanisms linking ultra-processed foods with functional decline.
