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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #166705
Title: MORE FAVORABLE DIETARY PATTERNS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER GLYCEMIC LOAD IN OLDER ADULTS

Author
item DAVIS, MELISSA - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
item MILLER, CARLA - PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
item MITCHELL, DIANE - PEN STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2004
Publication Date: 4/1/2004
Citation: Davis, M.S., Mitchell, D.C. Miller. More favorable dietary patterns are associated with lower glycemic load in older adults. FASEB Journal 18 (4): 108.3, 2004

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The prevalence of overweight and obesity places older adults at increased risk for chronic disease. Glycemic load (GL) may play a role in preventing and treating obesity and chronic disease. Food patterns associated with a low GL diet were analyzed in a subset of rural older adults from the Geisinger Rural Aging Study (n=179). Glycemic load was calculated, using standardized methodology, from dietary data obtained in five 24-hr recalls. The mean ('SD) GL for the entire sample was 62.4 (±5.1) with a range of 52.1 to 80.2. Males had a significantly higher GL than females (63.7 ' 4.9 vs. 61.4 ' 5.1, respectively, p=0.004). Macronutrient predictors of GL were fiber and percentage of energy from protein for women and percentage of energy from protein for men. Cluster analysis revealed two distinct eating patterns and one cluster had a higher GL, 64.23 (±0.9), than the other, 59.86 (±1.04). The differences in GL between clusters were due to differences in food choices, primarily sources of vegetable protein and fiber (eg, beans, grains, fruits and vegetables). Promotion of vegetable and low fat dairy sources of protein and high fiber foods may offer an effective intervention point for decreasing the GL of older adults' diets and reduce their risk for chronic disease.