ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIETARY PATTERNS AND SARCOPENIA IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN SHANGHAI AND THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING ROLE OF INFLAMMATION

QU Chen-yin; MA Jun-xia; WEI Ya-ping; WANG Yuan-yuan; NA Li-xin; YAN Ya-ming

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Acta Nutrimenta Sinica ›› 2026, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (1) : 29-37.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIETARY PATTERNS AND SARCOPENIA IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN SHANGHAI AND THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING ROLE OF INFLAMMATION

QU Chen-yin^1,3, MA Jun-xia², WEI Ya-ping³, WANG Yuan-yuan³, NA Li-xin^1,3, YAN Ya-ming²

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Abstract

Objective To explore the association between dietary patterns and sarcopenia among community-dwelling elderly in Shanghai and the potential mediating role of inflammation in this association, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the dietary prevention and control of sarcopenia. Methods Using convenience sampling, participants were adults aged 65 years and older who voluntarily participated in sarcopenia screening during the 2023-2024 elderly health examination program in Kangqiao Community Health Center, Shanghai. Demographic information was collected by questionnaires. Dietary intake over the past year was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire covering 19 food groups. Principal component analysis was applied to identify dietary patterns. Factor scores of dietary patterns were divided into quartiles (Q1~Q4). Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019 (AWGS2019) criteria, including handgrip strength, five-time chair stand test and appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM) mass. Fasting blood samples were collected to measure biochemical and hematological parameters. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the association between dietary patterns and sarcopenia. Mediation analysis was conducted to examine the role of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in the relationship between dietary patterns and sarcopenia risk. Results A total of 5,930 participants were included, with a sarcopenia prevalence of 5.1%, including 2,734 males (46.1%) and 3,196 females (53.9%). The median age was 71 (68, 74) years. Five dietary patterns were identified, including aquatic-processed meat-plant pattern, egg-dairy-fruit pattern, vegetable pattern, meat pattern and refined carbohydrate pattern. The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the lowest quartile (Q1) of the egg-dairy-fruit pattern, the highest quartile (Q4) was associated with a reduced risk of sarcopenia (OR=0.54, 95% CI=0.38-0.78). No significant associations were found between the other four dietary patterns and sarcopenia (P>0.05). Mediation analysis indicated that NLR played a significant mediating role in the association between the egg-dairy-fruit pattern and sarcopenia (mediation proportion=5.3%, P<0.001). Conclusion The egg-dairy-fruit pattern is negatively associated with the risk of sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults. Inflammation may play a partial mediating role in this association.

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Sarcopenia / dietary patterns / elderly / mediation analysis / neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio

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QU Chen-yin, MA Jun-xia, WEI Ya-ping, WANG Yuan-yuan, NA Li-xin, YAN Ya-ming. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN DIETARY PATTERNS AND SARCOPENIA IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN SHANGHAI AND THE POTENTIAL MEDIATING ROLE OF INFLAMMATION[J]. Acta Nutrimenta Sinica. 2026, 48(1): 29-37

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