Aims To explore the relationship between dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) intake, nutritional PUFAs status and sarcopenia outcomes in sarcopenic older adults. Methods The Exercise and Nutrition for Healthy AgeiNg (ENHANce) is an ongoing 5-armed triple blinded randomized controlled trial, in sarcopenic older adults (> 65y) aiming to assess the effect of combined anabolic interventions (protein, omega-3 supplement and exercise) on physical performance in these adults, compared to single/placebo interventions. Baseline data were used for a secondary, exploratory, cross-sectional analysis. Dietary PUFAs intake was assessed with 4-day food records, status with RBC membrane fatty acids profiles. Spearman’s rho(ρ) correlation coefficients were calculated to explore associations of PUFAs intake and status with sarcopenia-defining parameters (muscle strength, mass and physical performance), physical activity (step count) and quality of life (SF-36, SarQoL). Results In total, 29 subjects (9♂/20♀, mean age 76.3 ± 5.4y) were included. Total omega-3 intake of participants (1.99 ± 0.99 g/d) was below the recommended intake (♂:2.8–5.6 g/d; ♀:2.2–4.4 g/d). Intake and status of PUFAs were not correlated. Regarding correlations with outcomes, α-linolenic acid status was inversely associated with appendicular lean mass (aLM) (ρ:-0.439; p = 0.017), whereas docosahexaenoic acid status was positively associated with aLM (ρ:0.388; p = 0.038). Some omega-3 PUFAs intake and status markers were positively associated with step count, SF-36 and SarQoL scores, whereas gamma-linolenic acid status was inversely associated with SF-36 physical component summary score (ρ = -0.426; p = 0.024). Conclusions Although intake of omega-3 and omega-6 was low, the present exploratory study generated new hypotheses for potential correlations of PUFAs intake and status with sarcopenia outcomes in older adults with sarcopenia.

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Background Previous research suggests that sarcopenia is associated with lower cognitive functioning. Evidence on the longitudinal relationship between cognition and sarcopenia, according to the revised criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2), is scarce. This study aimed to investigate both cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between sarcopenia and its defining parameters (muscle strength, muscle mass and physical performance) and cognitive performance in middle‐aged and older men. Methods This was a secondary analysis of data from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS), a multicentre cohort study of men aged 40–79 years, recruited from population registers in eight European centres. Cognitive functioning was assessed by using a battery of three neuropsychological tests, measuring fluid intelligence: Rey–Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF‐Copy and ROCF‐Recall), Camden Topographical Recognition Memory (CTRM) and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Sarcopenia‐defining parameters appendicular lean mass (aLM), gait speed (GS), chair stand test (CST) and handgrip strength (HGS) were measured. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the criteria of the EWGSOP2. All measurements were performed at baseline and after a follow‐up of 4.3 years. Cross‐sectional associations between cognition, sarcopenia‐defining parameters and prevalent sarcopenia (EWGSOP2) were analysed. Longitudinally, the predictive value of baseline cognition on decline in sarcopenia‐defining parameters, onset of new sarcopenia and vice versa was examined. Linear and logistic regression were used and adjusted for putative confounders. Results In the whole cohort (n = 3233), ROCF‐Copy (β = 0.016; P < 0.05), ROCF‐Recall (β = 0.010; P < 0.05), CTRM (β = 0.015; P < 0.05), DSST score (β = 0.032; P < 0.05) and fluid cognition (β = 0.036; P < 0.05) were significantly and independently associated with GS at baseline. In the Leuven + Manchester subcohorts (n = 456), ROCF‐Copy (β = 1.008; P < 0.05), ROCF‐Recall (β = 0.908; P < 0.05) and fluid cognition (β = 1.482; P < 0.05) were associated with HGS. ROCF‐Copy (β = 0.394; P < 0.05), ROCF‐Recall (β = 0.316; P < 0.05), DSST (β = 0.393; P < 0.05) and fluid cognition (β = 0.765; P < 0.05) were associated with aLM. The prevalence of sarcopenia in this population was 17.8%. No associations were detected between cognition and prevalent or incident sarcopenia. Longitudinal analysis showed that low ROCF‐Copy score at baseline was associated with an increase in CST in men ≥70 years (β = −0.599; P < 0.05). In addition, a decrease in ROCF‐Recall was associated with a decrease in GS, and a decrease in DSST was associated with an increase in CST (β = 0.155; P < 0.0001, β = −0.595; P < 0.001, respectively) in persons with the highest change in both cognition and muscle function. Conclusions Sarcopenia was not associated with cognitive performance in this population, whereas several components of sarcopenia were associated with domain‐specific cognitive performance. Longitudin...