Source: UNIVERSITY OF MAINE submitted to
NUTRITIONAL RISK AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN THE ELDERLY
 
PROJECT DIRECTOR: Cook, R. A.
 
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION
FOOD SCIENCE & HUMAN NUTRITION
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
ORONO,ME 04469
 
NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Despite the importance of fruits and vegetables to health of older adults, there are little data on interventions to increase fruit/vegetable consumption in this population. To target appropriate interventions, research is needed on elder food practices and food group patterns that are related to antioxidant intake and status, nutritional knowledge and attitudes, as well as perceptions of barriers and benefits to changing dietary intake. Results from this research will lead to a comprehensive understanding of nutritional risk and antioxidant intakes in older adults.
 
OBJECTIVES: 1)To evaluate biomarkers of nutritional risk, with an emphasis on antioxidant status; 2)To improve dietary intake methods and screening protocols to identify risk in the elderly; 3)To estimate the relationships between dietary assessment and biochemical markers; 4)To develop and adapt educational approaches to reduce nutritional risk.
 
APPROACH: While researchers in this regional project and others have identified the barriers to fruit and vegetable intake in younger adults, data on older populations are not widely available. Although interventions from this region and others targeting populations at worksites, WIC sites, schools and churches have been researched for effectiveness in increasing consumption, there are limited studies of targeted research-based interventions in older populations. Numerous research issues need to be addressed: (1)evaluation of biomarkers of nutritional risk, with an emphasis on antioxidant status, (2)improvement of dietary assessment methods and screening protocols to identify nutritional risk, (3)elaboration of the relationships between dietary measures and biochemical markers in identifying health risk and susceptibility to disease, and (4)development and adaptation of educational approaches to reduce nutritional risk. Addressing these research questions will require multiple perspectives that integrate dietary behaviors and biomarker research, as outlined in the objectives of the project.
 
CRIS NUMBER: 0150216 SUBFILE: CRIS
PROJECT NUMBER: ME08559 SPONSOR AGENCY: CSREES
PROJECT TYPE: HATCH PROJECT STATUS: TERMINATED MULTI-STATE PROJECT NUMBER: NE-172
START DATE: Oct 1, 1999 TERMINATION DATE: Sep 30, 2004

GRANT PROGRAM: (N/A)
GRANT PROGRAM AREA: (N/A)

CLASSIFICATION
Knowledge Area (KA)Subject (S)Science (F)Objective (G)Percent
702601010105.150%
703601010105.250%

CLASSIFICATION HEADINGS
KA702 - Requirements and Function of Nutrients and Other Food Components
KA703 - Nutrition Education and Behavior
S6010 - Individuals
F1010 - Nutrition and metabolism
G5.1 - Ensure Access to Nutritious Food
G5.2 - Promote Healthier Eating Habits and Lifestyles


RESEARCH EFFORT CATEGORIES
BASIC (N/A)%
APPLIED 100%
DEVELOPMENTAL (N/A)%

KEYWORDS: elderly; antioxidants; nutritional status; risk management; nutrition education; nutrient requirements; human health; human nutrition; human metabolism; biometry; dietary records; measurement; nutrient intake; screening; biochemistry; intervention; food consumption; fruit; vegetables

PROGRESS: Oct 1, 1999 TO Sep 30, 2004
Objective 1, Experiment 2a: Absorption of antioxidants and effect on platelet aggregation from consumption of a high dose blueberry drink (100 g freeze-dried powder in a high fat liquid) administered to six female adults after consumption of 1 cup of wild North American blueberries per day for two weeks were studied. The freeze-dried blueberry powder (1.12g/kg BW) provided 1424 mg anthocyanins and 39,904 mmol Trolox Equivalents (TE) of ORAC. Subjects also acted as their own controls by having tests done after not consuming blueberries and consuming a high fat drink without added blueberry powder. Activities of serum peroxidase, arylesterase and RBC glutathione peroxidase were not changed following consumption of blueberries for two weeks and administration of the blueberry beverage. Urinary excretion of antioxidants during the first four hours after consuming the blueberry drink was increased 30-80% as indicated by urine ORAC or FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant potential). In vivo antioxidant status appeared to be improved with blueberry consumption due to the increased density and/or absorption of antioxidants. However, altering in vivo plasma antioxidant status has proven difficult with foods high in anthocyanins because of their low absorption coupled with their short in vivo half life. The effects of the phytochemical components in the blueberries consumed on diluted, citrated whole blood platelet aggregation and ATP release was studied. Collagen was used to induce aggregation at 1,2,and 5 mg/ml. ATP secretion was recorded simultaneously with aggregation using Liciferan-Luciferase. Increasing collagen concentrations increased ex vivo platelet aggregation and ATP release. Platelet aggregation ex vivo was lower at the lowest collagen dose in treatment vs. control (p=0.07). ATP release was increased in treatment vs. control (p=0.001). Objective 2, Experiment 1: (Relate factors to nutrition screening risk in general low income elderly population.) Longitudinal nutrition risk assessment (2000-2002) of seniors age 60 or more participating in the Older Americans Act Title III meal programs in the State of Maine was studied using the National Nutrition Screening Initiative Determine Your Nutritional Health checklist and Body Mass Index (BMI). Subjects were members of local Area Agencies on Aging. Meals obtained were either at congregate meal sites or home delivered. The mishandling of identification numbers and the incompleteness of key data severely limited the number of subjects available for data analysis to 134. Approximately 10,000 subjects filled out checklists (once per year) during the three-year period. Significant differences in mean risk score between the Longitudinal Group and the Total Subject Group did not exist over the three years, except for the year 2000. The mean risk score obtained was at a moderate risk level for the longitudinal group. Mean BMIs calculated showed that the average participant was overweight, but there were no significant BMI differences found between groups. Higher risk scores overall were found among home delivered participants vs. congregate meal participants.

IMPACT: 1999-10-01 TO 2004-09-30 Consumption of lowbush blueberries may have an anti-inflammatory effect of decreasing platelet aggregation. A lack of increase in nutrition risk over time (as measured by DETERMINE checklists and BMI) among elderly in the Nutrition For Seniors Program may suggest effectiveness of this program in maintaining nutritional health.

PUBLICATION INFORMATION: 1999-10-01 TO 2004-09-30
Cook, R.A. 2004. The regional experience: Northeast regional research on older adults. 19:175-179.

PROJECT CONTACT INFORMATION
NAME: Cook, R. A.
PHONE: 207-581-3117
FAX: 207-581-3111