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In light of increasing obesity among the elderly, understanding the role of nutritional guidelines in preventing weight gain is of major importance. The authors evaluated the impact of the French Programme National Nutrition Santé (PNNS)-Guideline Score (GS) (maximum score, 15 points) on anthropometric changes in a large population-based study. Subjects in the present analysis (n = 3,531) were participants in the SUplémentation en VItamines et Minéraux AntioXydants (SU.VI.MAX) study (1994-2002) and had available data for estimating the PNNS-GS and anthropometric data at baseline and 6 years later. Data were analyzed by using multivariate linear regression models for the association with anthropometric changes and multiple logistic regression to estimate odds ratios of becoming overweight or obese. The authors found a significant negative association between PNNS-GS and changes in markers of anthropometry. In addition, better adherence to the PNNS-GS was associated with a lower incidence of overweight (odds ratio = 0.93, 95% confidence interval: 0.88, 0.99) and obesity (odds ratio = 0.89, 95% confidence interval: 0.80, 0.99) after a 6-year follow-up period. These observations support the role of nutritional guidelines in prevention of age-related weight increase and development of obesity.

Ageing impairs the muscle anabolic effect of food intake, which may explain muscle loss and an increased risk of sarcopenia. Ageing is also associated with low grade inflammation (LGI), which has been negatively correlated with muscle mass and strength. In rodents, the muscle anabolic resistance observed during ageing and sarcopenia has been ascribed to the development of the LGI. We aimed to investigate this relationship in humans. We studied protein metabolism and physical fitness in healthy elderly volunteers with slight chronic C-reactive protein. Two groups of healthy elderly volunteers were selected on the presence (or not) of a chronic, slight, elevation of CRP (Control: <1; CRP+: >2 mg l(-1) and <10 mg l(-1) , for 2 months). Body composition, short performance battery test, aerobic fitness and muscle strength were assessed. Whole body and muscle protein metabolism and the splanchnic extraction of amino acids were assessed using [(13) C]leucine and [(2) H]leucine infusion. The anabolic effect of food intake was measured by studying the volunteers both at the post-absorptive and post-prandial states. Slight chronic CRP elevation resulted in neither an alteration of whole body, nor skeletal muscle protein metabolism at both the post-absorptive and the post-prandial states. However, CRP+ presented a reduction of physical fitness, increased abdominal fat mass and post-prandial insulin resistance. Plasma cytokines (interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor α) and markers of endothelial inflammation (intercellular adhesion molecule, vascular cell adhesion molecule, selectins) were similar between groups. An isolated elevated CRP in healthy older population does not indicate an impaired skeletal muscle anabolism after food intake, nor an increased risk of skeletal muscle wasting. We propose that a broader picture of LGI (notably with elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines) is required to impact muscle metabolism and mass. However, an isolated chronic CRP elevation could predict a decrease in aerobic fitness and insulin resistance installation in elderly individuals.

Our results suggest that the β-carotene status may be inversely associated with low-grade inflammation in the long term.