E. García-Esquinas, B. Rahi, K. Peres, et al.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104(1):132-42

We sought to examine the dose-response association between fruit and vegetables consumption and the risk of frailty in older adults.

Among community-dwelling older adults, fruit and vegetables consumption was associated with a lower short-term risk of frailty in a dose-response manner, and the strongest association was obtained with 3 portions of fruit/d and 2 portions of vegetables/d

Q.L. Xue , J. Tian , L.P. Fried, et al.

Am J Epidemiol. 2016;183(11):1037-44

Different phenotypes have increasingly been used as tools for clinical characterization of frailty among older adults. Although there have been studies about the comparability and effectiveness of various simplifications and approximations of existing frailty phenotypes for risk prediction, there have been no studies in which investigators evaluated the stability of the clinical characterization achieved. Findings obtained shown that it was no merely the number of criteria used to characterize the PFPs but rather the specific criteria combinations that predicted the risk of adverse outcomes. There are clinically important contexts in which simplified PFPs cannot be used interchangeably.

M.J. Mohler, C.S. Wendel , R.E. Taylor-Piliae, et al.

Gerontology. 2016;62(6):654-664

This study aimed to evaluate wearable sensor-based measures of gait, balance, and physical activity that are predictive of future falls in community-dwelling older adults. Results obtained suggests that independent predictors of falls are dependent on frailty status. Among sensor-derived parameters, balance deficit, longer typical walking episodes, and shorter typical standing episodes were the most sensitive predictors of prospective falls in the combined pre-frail and frail sample. Gait deficit was not a sensitive fall predictor in the context of frailty status.

T. Morat, K.J. Gilmore and C.L. Rice

Exp Gerontol. 2016;81:28-36

This study applied the screening tool developed by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) on seniors aged over 65years and concurrently tested various laboratory-based indices of neuromuscular function. Based on gait speed, handgrip strength and muscle mass all subjects were categorized into one of the three conceptual sarcopenia stages (pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, severe sarcopenia). The laboratory tests found neuromuscular differences among the 3 groups which generally supported the classification scheme and helped to illustrate some key factors that could explain differences in functional capacities.