Macronutrients intake and physical frailty in Korean older adults: A cohort-based cross-sectional study

Aim: To investigate the relationship of energy and macronutrients with physical frailty in Korean older individuals who had a high proportion of energy intake from carbohydrates. Methods: This study included 954 adults aged 70 to 84 years and used baseline data from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS) collected in 2016. The relationship between energy or macronutrients and frailty was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression models and multivariable nutrient density models. Results: A high carbohydrate intake was related to a higher prevalence of frailty (odds ratio [OR] = 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-3.93). In the participants who had low energy intake, replacement of 10% energy from fats with isocaloric carbohydrates was related to a higher prevalence of frailty (10%, OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.03-2.43). Regarding proteins, we found no evidence for a relationship between the replacement of the energy of carbohydrates or fats with isocaloric protein and the prevalence of frailty in older adults. Conclusions: This study showed that the optimal proportion of energy intake from macronutrients may be an important nutritional intervention factor for reducing the risk of frailty among people who are likely to have low energy intake.