Effects of progressive resistance training combined with a protein-enriched lean red meat diet on health-related quality of life in elderly women: secondary analysis of a 4-month cluster randomised controlled trial

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2017-06, Vol.117 (11), p.1550-1559
• Main Authors: Torres, Susan J., Robinson, Sian, Orellana, Liliana, O’Connell, Stella L., Grimes, Carley A., Mundell, Niamh L., Dunstan, David W., Nowson, Caryl A., Daly, Robin M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attenuation; Body Fluid Compartments; Carbohydrates; Clusters; Colleges & universities; Diabetes; Diet; Dietary Proteins - administration & dosage; Dietary Proteins - pharmacology; Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Evidence-based medicine; Exercise; Feeding Behavior; Female; Geriatrics; Health; Health Status; Health Surveys; Human and Clinical Nutrition; Humans; Meals; Meat; Medical research; Mental health; Metabolism; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Nutrition research; Older people; Osteoporosis; Physical Fitness; Physical training; Proteins; Quality of Life; Red Meat; Resistance Training; Retirement; Sarcopenia; Secondary analysis; Strength training; Villages; Women; Womens health
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114517001507

Resistance training (RT) and increased dietary protein are recommended to attenuate age-related muscle loss in the elderly. This study examined the effect of a lean red meat protein-enriched diet combined with progressive resistance training (RT+Meat) on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in elderly women. In this 4-month cluster randomised controlled trial, 100 women aged 60–90 years (mean 73 years) from self-care retirement villages participated in RT twice a week and were allocated either 160 g/d (cooked) lean red meat consumed across 2 meals/d, 6 d/week or ≥1 serving/d (25–30 g) carbohydrates (control group, CRT). HR-QoL (SF-36 Health Survey questionnaire), lower limb maximum muscle strength and lean tissue mass (LTM) (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were assessed at baseline and 4 months. In all, ninety-one women (91 %) completed the study (RT+Meat (n 48); CRT (n 43)). Mean protein intake was greater in RT+Meat than CRT throughout the study (1·3 (sd 0·3) v. 1·1 (sd 0·3) g/kg per d, P