Nutritional Intake and Proinflammatory Cytokine Activity in Community Dwelling Older Adults

Proinflammatory cytokines are elevated in people with chronic illness and in healthy older adults. Whether these cytokines have the same negative effect on nutrient intake in healthy adults as in chronic illness is unknown. The purpose of the proposed research is to examine the relationships between nutritional intake and proinflammatory cytokine activity in a group of healthy older adults. Forty community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older and free of chronic illness will be recruited for the study. Nutritional intake will be assessed using four-day food diaries. Blood will be drawn and plasma analyzed for the proinflamamtory cytokine TNF-alpha and its soluble receptors sTNFRl and sTNFR2. A descriptive examination of total number of nutrient deficiencies per person will be used to describe the nutritional intake of the group. The effects of cytokines on food intake will be determined by comparing calorie intake, protein intake, and number of nutritional deficiencies between two groups divided by ,amedian split of serum cytokine levels. The effect of dietary fatty acid intake on proinflammatory cytokine activity will be determine by comparing proinflammatory cytokine levels between two groups divided by median lintake of three fatty acids. This study will provide data for determining the effects of dietary fatty acids on cytokine activity and whether cytokines are invovled in both the decrease in food intake associated with normal aging and Iwithchronic illness. This information will assist in developing appropriate interventions to improve and maintain nutritional intake of older adults according to their health status.