Abstract P310: Dietary Pattern Associated With Future Better Gait Speed in a Japanese General Population: Tanushimaru Cohort Study

Abstract

Introduction: Sarcopenia is a core contributor to falls, fractures and disability. Previous cohort studies showed that healthy dietary pattern like plant-focused diets had beneficial effects on cognitive and physical health. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated the association between dietary patterns and future gait speed, which is strongly related to sarcopenia. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between dietary patterns and gait speed in a 9-year follow-up. Methods: We recruited 1943 men and women aged 40 to 95 years in the prospective Tanushimaru cohort study in Japan in 2009. Their dietary intake was assessed using a brief self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ). Principal component analysis (PCA) identified the main dietary patterns. In 976 participants re-examined in 2018, walk time for 5m was examined and <1m/sec of gait speed was defined as slow gait speed. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the association of the main dietary patterns with slow gait speed. Covariates included traditional cardiovascular risk factor (hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes), history of cardiovascular diseases, physical activity and cognitive function at baseline. Results: The prevalence of slow gait speed in 2018 was 46.9%. The PCA revealed three major dietary patterns: vegetable pattern (vegetables, potatoes, mushrooms and seaweeds); rice pattern (rice, bread and miso soup); and alcohol pattern (alcoholic beverages, cakes and snacks). The higher vegetable pattern score was significantly associated with slower gait speed (p=0.002), while other patterns were not. Estimated risk for slow gait speed in the fully-adjusted model was 39.1% in the highest versus 55.8% in the lowest tertile of vegetable dietary pattern scores (p=0.001). Conclusions: The vegetable pattern was significantly associated with a lower risk for slow gait speed in a 9-year follow-up.