Intake of legumes is associated with lower risk of frailty in areas with elderly people and long life expectancy
*Fujico Co., Ltd.*
Press release: September 18, 2024
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Intake of legumes is associated with lower risk of frailty in areas with elderly people and long life expectancy
*―Presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Food Science and Technology―*
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Department of Bioimmunology and Nutrition (endowed course with participation of Fujico Co., Ltd. (Head office: Chuo-ku, Kobe City/Representative Director and President Executive Officer: Shoichi Fukui))
A research group led by Professor Yuji Naito and researcher Masamichi Watanabe has revealed that the intake of legumes is associated with a lower risk of frailty in areas with older people and longer life expectancies. The results of this research were presented at the 71st Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Food Science and Technology (Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024 – Saturday, August 31, 2024).
* ■Research overview*
Frailty refers to a state of frailty in which muscle strength and mental and physical vitality decline with age, leaving a person between healthy and in need of nursing care. In recent years, the aging of Japan’s population has progressed rapidly, with approximately 30% (*1) of people aged 80 and over requiring nursing care and support.We need prevention and early improvement at the frailty stage, when recovery to a healthy state can be expected. is considered an important issue for extending healthy life expectancy. In this study, we focused on the dietary habits of the Kyotango region (*2), one of Japan’s most healthy and long-lived regions, and analyzed 786 elderly people (median age 72 years, 317 men, 469 women) living in Kyotango City. We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological study.
* ■Research results*
The results showed that the intake of legumes and vegetables other than green and yellow vegetables (including root vegetables, seaweed, and mushrooms) was significantly higher in the healthy group than in the frail group in both men and women, and that an increase in legume intake was associated with a lower risk of frailty in men. A significant association was observed (Figure 1).
Additionally, in terms of nutrition, a significant relationship was observed between increased intake of vegetable protein and dietary fiber and decreased risk of frailty (Figure 2).
Protein intake has been recommended to prevent frailty, but recent studies have reported that dietary fiber intake is correlated with increased grip strength and may suppress age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass. (*3). Since legumes are a food rich in both protein and dietary fiber, it has been suggested that legume intake is important in reducing the risk of frailty.
Furthermore, we classified the dietary patterns of Kyotango residents into six groups using hierarchical cluster analysis (*4) and compared the rates of frailty in each group. It was revealed that the rate of frailty was lowest in the group that consumed it frequently (67 people, 8.5% of the total).
The above results indicate that a diet centered on legumes has the potential to reduce the risk of frailty in regions with healthy longevity. Especially for men, about 60 per day
A significant reduction in the risk of frailty was observed with intake of more than g of legumes. Since this study is a
cross-sectional study, it is necessary to clarify the causal relationship, but in Japan, where a significant increase in the number of elderly people is expected, it is expected that preventive measures against frailty will become increasingly important in the future. will be done. At Fujikko, [Fujikko Exciting Forum–Keep your intestines healthy with beans! ] Forum entitled (10/2
Tokyo and Osaka scheduled to be held on October 8th), we will further spread the use of legumes as a countermeasure against frailty, and strive to achieve good health for all people.
[Notes/Citations]
(*1) Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Monthly Report on the Actual Status of Nursing Care Benefits, etc. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (2015)
(*2) Located in the northernmost part of Kyoto Prefecture (Kyotango City, Miyazu City, Yosano Town, and Ine Town), this is an area with a very high aging rate, but it has a long life expectancy, with people over 100 years old in the area, called centenarians. It is known as one of Japan’s leading areas with a healthy and long life expectancy, with a rate of approximately three times the national average (per 100,000 people).
(*3) Frampton J et al., J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle, 12(6): 2134-2144 (2021) (*4) A method of classifying data into groups that are mathematically similar, and gradually reducing the number of groups.
* ■Announcement information*
Academic conference: 71st Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Food Science and Technology (https://jsfst.smoosy.atlas.jp/ja
Date: August 29-31, 2024
Location: Meijo University Tenpaku Campus
Presentation number: 3Fp-01
Title: Relationship between food group intake and frailty in elderly and long-lived regions
Presenters: *Masami Watanabe1,2, Akihide Koyama3, Katsura Mizushima2, Tsuyoshi Yasuda4, Tomohisa Takagi4,5, Yuji Naito2 (1. Fujico Co., Ltd., 2.
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Department of Bioimmunology and Nutrition, 3. Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Community Health and Medical Epidemiology, 4. Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Gastroenterology, 5.
Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Department of Medicine and Medical Frontier Development)
-Contact information- Fujico Co., Ltd.
Person in charge: Innovation Center Basic Research Group Masamichi Watanabe Person in charge: Innovation Center Director Kentaro Maruyama TEL: 078-303-5385
Homepage address: https://www.fujicco.co.jp
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