Dietary diversity and frailty among older Chinese people: evidence from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Study

Abstract

BackgroundDietary diversity is widely advocated as a means to promote health, but little is known regarding whether the beneficial effects still apply in older adults. ObjectiveTo examine the association between the dietary diversity score (DDS) and frailty among older Chinese adults. MethodsA total of 13,721 adults aged ≥65 y without frailty at baseline were enrolled. The DDS at baseline was constructed based on 9 items of a food frequency questionnaire. We used 39 self-reported health items to construct a frailty index (FI), with FI ≥ 0.25 indicating frailty. Cox models with restricted cubic splines were used to evaluate the dose–response relationships of DDS (continuous) with frailty. In addition, Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the association between DDS (categorized as scores ≤4, 5–6, 7, and ≥8) and frailty. ResultsDuring the mean follow-up of 5.94 y, 5250 participants met the criteria for frailty. Each 1-unit increase in DDS corresponded to a 5% lower risk of frailty (hazard ratio [HR]; 0.95; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.97]. Compared with participants with DDS ≤4 points, those with a DDS of 5–6, 7, and ≥8 points exhibited a lower frailty risk, with HRs of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71, 0.87), 0.75 (95% CI: 0.68, 0.83), and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.67, 0.81), respectively (P-trend < 0.001). Protein-rich food items, such as meat; eggs; and beans, were associated with protective effects against frailty. In addition, a significant association was observed between higher consumption of 2 high-frequency foods, tea and fruits, and lower risk of frailty. ConclusionsA higher DDS was associated with a lower risk of frailty among older Chinese adults. This study highlights the importance of a diverse diet as a potential modifiable behavioral factor for preventing frailty in older Chinese adults.