Diet and 6-year muscle and cognitive function trajectories in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging: combining traditional and omics approaches

Project Summary

While heart health studies recommend eating more plant-based proteins, healthy aging studies highlight the benefits of higher-quality animal proteins. We aim to examine whether diet, specifically plant/animal protein foods, are associated with muscle and brain function decline over 6 years in 20,000 adults. We also aim to identify biological signatures linked to protein food intake in 9000 older adults with genetic and metabolite data and see if these signatures explain the associations from aim 1. We will apply traditional statistical analyses to examine the associations of diet with muscle and brain function trajectories. We will use machine learning algorithms to identify signatures. Leveraging detailed data from the CLSA, this research will clarify whether plant or animal proteins—or a specific balance of both—are better for muscle and brain health. The findings will help shape dietary recommendations for health aging and offer insights into the biological processes.