The Role of Dietary Patterns in the Contribution of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Community-Dwelling Older Chinese Adults in Hong Kong

Abstract Objective We examined the influence of various dietary patterns on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) expressed as peak oxygen uptake (VO 2 peak), taking into account demographics and lifestyle risk factors. Design Prospective cohort study. Participants and methods We conducted multivariate linear regression analyses using available data from a cohort of community-dwelling older Chinese adults (752 men, 483 women) in Hong Kong. Baseline interviewer-administered questionnaires covered dietary intake estimation and dietary pattern generation from the food frequency questionnaire, demographic and lifestyle factors, self-reported medical history, as well as frailty status. VO 2 peak at the 7-year follow-up was measured using symptom-limited maximal exercise testing on an electrically braked bicycle ergometer. Results In men, baseline Diet Quality Index–International (DQI-I) score ( β  = 0.044, P  = .013) and Okinawan diet score ( β  = 0.265, P  = .014) was independently associated with age-adjusted VO 2 peak at the 7-year follow-up. The significant association was only retained for the Okinawan diet score in the multivariate adjusted model ( β  = 0.227, P  = .039). Dietary pattern scores including the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) score, Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay Diet score, Mediterranean Diet Score, and 3 other pattern scores derived by factor analysis were not associated with VO 2 peak. In women, none of the dietary pattern scores at baseline was associated with VO 2 peak in both the age-adjusted and multivariate-adjusted models. Conclusions/Implications A higher Okinawan diet score was associated with a higher 7-year CRF in community-dwelling Chinese older men. Further studies are warranted to examine the underlying mechanisms on how the Okinawan diet influences CRF.