Digitally supported dietary counseling increases protein intake in community dwelling older adults: preliminary results of the VITAMIN RCT

BACKGROUND. In order to prevent sarcopenia in community dwelling older adults a higher daily protein intake is needed. A new m-health strategy for dietary counseling was used with the aim to increase total daily protein intake to optimal levels (minimal 1.2 g/kg/d, optimal 1.5 g/kg/d) through use of regular food products. METHODS. The VITAMIN (VITal AMsterdam older adults IN the city) RCT included 245 community dwelling older adults (age ≥ 55y): control, exercise, and exercise plus dietary counseling (protein) group. Dietary intake was measured by a 3d dietary record at baseline and after 6 months intervention. In total 173 subjects were eligible for analysis. A two-way mixed ANOVA with time, group, and time*group interaction was performed. Post-hoc Bonferroni was performed with significance level at p<0.05. RESULTS. Mean age of the subjects was 72.1±6.3y, with a BMI of 25.7±4.2 of which 68% were females. ANOVA revealed significant effect of time, group and time*group (p<0.001). Table 1 shows higher protein intake over time in the dietary counseling group than either control (p=0.038) or exercise (p=0.008) group. Additional analyses revealed no change in vegetable protein intake. The higher protein intake was fully accounted for by animal protein intake. In the dietary counseling group 72% of subjects increased protein intake above the minimum intake level.