Association between Dietary Practice and Gait Speed in Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Overweight and Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Slow gait speed is associated with poorer clinical outcomes and higher rates of functional limitation and mortality in older adults, especially when combined with overweight or obesity. Aging is also associated with nutritional deficits. The aim of our study was to assess the potential association between dietary practice and gait speed performance in community-dwelling older adults with overweight and obesity. Participants underwent body composition measurement with the Tanita MC-780MA Bioimpedance Analyzer (BIA). Dietary patterns were assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire, and a dietary adequacy (DA) score system was constructed. The four-meter gait speed test was performed in order to assess gait speed. Of 222 participants, aged 67.6 ± 6.6 years, with a body mass index (BMI) of 31.9 ± 4.5 kg/m², 34.7% had reduced gait speed and lower DA compared to those with normal gait speed (2.99 ± 1.12 vs. 3.37 ± 1.07; p < 0.05). The DA score of participants with slower gait speed was more likely to fall below the median than that of participants with normal gait speed (70.1% vs. 51.7%; p < 0.05). Participants with slower gait speed were more likely to be nutritionally at risk of low DA (22.1% vs. 10.3%; p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for confounders, showed that the risk of having a slow gait speed was 75% lower among those with a higher DA score (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.11-0.53). Older adults with overweight or obesity in community dwellings might need to be supported with nutritional interventions that can improve their gait speed.