Influence of diet and physical activity on aging-associated body fatness and anthropometric changes in older Taiwanese

The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of aging on body fatness and body muscle status and to assess the association of diet and physical activity with aging-associated anthropometric changes. The study analyzed the data of a 1999 population-based cross-sectional survey in men and women, aged 53 years or older, in Taiwan. In-home, in-person interviews elicited the participants' sociodemographic status, weight and height, physical activity, and intake frequency of food items and measured their midarm circumference (MAC) and calf circumference (CC). Linear regression analyzed the correlates of these anthropometric parameters. Results based on body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) indicate that the prevalence of overweight-obesity was 31.1% for men and 33.7% for women by the World Health Organization definition (BMI, >25) or 43.1% for men and 45.4% for women by the Taiwanese definition (BMI, >24). Average height losses were 1.0 cm for men and 1.3 cm for women, and weight losses were 2.9 and 3.2 kg per decade for men and women, respectively. Aging was associated with decreasing BMI, MAC, and CC. The female sex was associated with higher BMI but smaller MAC and CC. Physical activity was positively associated with BMI, MAC, and CC. Body mass index was positively associated with fruit consumption but negatively with milk consumption. Midarm circumference was positively associated with fish and fruit but negatively with egg and legume consumptions. Calf circumference was positively associated with vegetable consumption. In conclusion, aging-associated anthropometric changes in older Taiwanese are comparable with those observed in Western populations. Both diet and physical activity can modulate aging-associated anthropometric changes in older individuals.