Dietary Patterns and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults

Ageing populations worldwide face increasing challenges from chronic conditions, functional decline and diminished wellbeing. Dietary patterns, which capture the complex interplay of foods and nutrients, have emerged as key determinants of health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) among older adults. Healthy patterns—typified by abundant fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and unsaturated fats—promote anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant effects, support metabolic health and preserve physical and cognitive function. Conversely, Western or high‐fat, low‐fibre patterns are linked to greater risk of frailty, mobility limitation and poorer mental wellbeing. Evaluation of overall diet rather than single nutrients better reflects real‐world eating behaviours and enables more coherent public health guidance. Evidence indicates that adherence to beneficial dietary patterns can enhance multiple domains of HRQOL, including physical functioning, vitality, emotional role and social participation. Understanding these associations is critical for designing effective nutritional interventions, informing policy and empowering older individuals to maintain optimal wellbeing into later life.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Dietary Patterns and Health-Related Quality of Life in Older Adults publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary patterns and health-related quality of life in older adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Health‐related quality of life (HRQOL): A multidimensional concept encompassing physical, mental and social wellbeing as perceived by individuals in relation to their health status.

Dietary pattern: A holistic representation of habitual food and nutrient intake, capturing the combined effects of multiple dietary components.

Mediterranean diet: A dietary pattern characterised by high consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and olive oil, moderate intake of fish and poultry, low intake of red meat and moderate wine consumption.

SF‐36 questionnaire: A 36‐item instrument measuring eight health domains to derive physical and mental summary scores for evaluating HRQOL.

References

1. Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Favorable Health-Related Quality of Life, Physical Activity, and Sleep Quality in a Community-Dwelling Greek Older Population. Antioxidants (2023).
2. Dietary Patterns and Quality of Life in Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Nutrients (2018).
3. Mediterranean diet and quality of life: Baseline cross-sectional analysis of the PREDIMED-PLUS trial. PLOS ONE (2018).