Why Older Adults Should Eat More Protein (And Not Overdo Protein Shakes)

[Mr. Tightwad]

I aim for about 4 ounces of fish/chicken every meal. Or eggs. Or beans. Thats about the size of a deck of cards.

Easier than counting grams up.

[sengsational]

Another crap "science" epidemiology "relationship" with questionable causality.

There ought to be a law where the reporter must mention the causality in the other direction and give an example of a separate factor that could explain the relationship. Of course then that would deflate their headline.

"Seniors who became functionally impared didn't have the chops to eat much protein" probably isn't going to get many clicks.

[bjorn2bwild]

When dealing with nutrition, it's best to hedge the claim with a few well placed caveats like it depends... and more studies are needed. This one has it covered -

Quote:

So could the “Okinawan Ratio” – 10:1 carbohydrate to protein – instead be the secret to a long and healthy life? Although it would still be far too early to suggest any lifestyle changes based on these observations, the very latest evidence – from human longitudinal studies and animal trials – suggest the hypothesis is worth serious attention. According to these findings, a low protein, high carbohydrate diet sets off various physiological responses that protect us from various age-related illnesses – including cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Quote:

Although there aren’t yet any controlled clinical trials in humans, Solon-Biet cites epidemiological work across the world that all point to similar conclusions. “Other long-lived populations have also been shown to have dietary patterns that include relatively low amounts of protein,” she says. “These include the Kitavans, [who live on] a small island in Papua New Guinea, the South American Tsimane people and populations that consume the Mediterranean diet.”

Quote:

So should we all start adopting the Okinawan Diet? Not quite. Ryan points to some evidence that low protein intake may limit bodily damage up to the age of 65, but you may then benefit from increasing your protein intake after that point. “Optimal nutrition is expected to vary across the life history,” she says. And it’s also worth noting one study, which found that the relative merits of protein and carbohydrates may depend on the protein's source: a diet higher in plant-based protein appears to be better than a diet rich in meat or dairy, for instance.

BBC - Future - A high-carb diet may explain why Okinawans live so long

[Katsmeow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha One aspect of this that seems confusing is that for many, a pretty large percentage of their body weight is fat. So by the suggestion here, the fatter on is, the more protein he would eat. This seems odd to me. There must be a more accurate way, or perhaps just trust it to one's appetite? Ha

You are correct. General articles often talk about protein per pound of body weight. But, if you talk to people who do strength training and body building that is really based on someone with normal to low amounts of body fat. It doesn't apply to someone with a high body fat percentage. In that case, it is often recommended to determine protein based upon your lean body mass. For example, when I weighed 146 which is normal weight for my height, I had 45% body fat which is high. I was told to based my protein intake on my lean body mass which resulted in about 85 g to 120 g of protein a day. It would have been much higher if I based it on total weight. But, I don't need to eat protein to support my fat mass even though I was at normal weight per BMI. The same argument applies to people who have an overweight or obese BMI.