Both Empirical Dietary Patterns and the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Score Are Associated With Adiposity in Older Adults in New Zealand.

BACKGROUND

Research suggests excess body fat poses a risk to health and all-cause mortality.

OBJECTIVE

This cross-sectional study explored associations between the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) Score and empirically derived dietary patterns and adiposity.

DESIGN

This study is a secondary analysis of data from the Researching Eating, Activity and Cognitive Health (REACH) study. A validated 109-item food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake. Score/patterns were derived using the 2018 WCRF/AICR Score and principal component analysis. Demographic data were collected via a questionnaire.

PARTICIPANTS/

SETTING

Participants were community-dwelling older adults (N = 367, aged 65 to 74 years, 36% men) living in Auckland, New Zealand. Data were collected between April 2018 and February 2019.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adiposity outcomes were body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percent, visceral fat percent, and android/gynoid ratio.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Linear regression was used with adiposity measures as the dependent variable, 2018 WCRF/AICR Score (excluding healthy weight component) and empirically derived patterns as the independent variable, and age, sex, Index of Multiple Deprivation, physical activity (empirically derived pattern only), and energy intake as the confounding variables.

RESULTS

The 2018 WCRF/AICR Score (excluding healthy weight) was inversely associated with all 6 adiposity measures (standardised [std] β values between -.28 and -.14; all P values < .01). Three dietary patterns from principal component analysis explained 18% of dietary intake variation: Mediterranean-style (salad/leafy cruciferous/other vegetables, avocados/olives, alliums, nuts/seeds, shellfish, white/oily fish, and berries), prudent (legumes, soy-based foods, whole grains, and carrots), and Western (processed meat/fish, sauces/condiments, cakes/biscuits/puddings, and meat pies/hot chips). The Mediterranean-style pattern was not associated with any adiposity measures. The prudent pattern was inversely associated with body mass index (std β = -.15; P = .008) and waist circumference (std β = -.14; P = .010). The Western pattern was positively associated with waist circumference, visceral fat percent, and android/gynoid ratio (std β values between .19 and .20; all P values < .0125).

CONCLUSIONS

Results suggest that following the 2018 WCRF/AICR score recommendations to be physically active; eat whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans; and limit processed foods, red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcohol may be associated with lower adiposity. In contrast, a Western pattern may be associated with greater central adiposity.