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Response to ‘Increasing physical activity requires increasing energy intake in elderly’

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, page 895 (2013)Cite this article

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We are grateful for the review of our article1 by Dr Safer et al.2 The question is whether or not the benefits of protein intake would have been more pronounced if energy intake had been adequate in the study population.

Even though we did not detect any significant differences in energy intake from baseline to end point, energy intake in the study population appeared to be adequate at both time points. In addition, body weight remained stable during the study, fat mass decreased, and lean body mass and strength increased. In our opinion, energy deficit is an unlikely reason for the nonsignificant difference in lean body mass or strength gains between groups. As we point out in the discussion, a possible reason is a lack of difference in total protein intake between the protein supplemented group and the control group, and/or lack of difference in protein intake before and during the study (Bosse et al.3). It can also be argued that a benefit from protein intake is difficult to detect in a group of people with a relatively high mean intake of protein (1 g/kg/day).

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References

  1. Arnarson A, Geirsdottir OG, Ramel A, Briem K, Jonsson PV, Thorsdottir I . Effects of whey proteins and carbohydrates on the efficacy of resistance training in elderly people: double blind, randomised controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 2013; 67: 821–826.

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  2. Safer U, Tasci I, Safer VB, Doruk H . Increasing physical activity requires increasing energy intake in elderly. Eur J Clin Nutr 2013; 67: 894.

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  3. Bosse JD, Dixon BM . Dietary protein to maximize resistance training: a review and examination of protein spread and change theories. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2012; 9, art. no 42.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit for Nutrition Research, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, The National University Hospital of Iceland, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    A Arnarson, O G Geirsdottir, A Ramel & I Thorsdottir

  2. The Icelandic Gerontological Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, The National University Hospital of Iceland, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    O G Geirsdottir & P V Jonsson

  3. Department of Physical Therapy, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    K Briem

  4. Department of Geriatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The National University Hospital of Iceland, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland

    P V Jonsson

Authors
  1. A Arnarson
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  2. O G Geirsdottir
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  3. A Ramel
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  4. K Briem
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  5. P V Jonsson
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  6. I Thorsdottir
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Correspondence to A Arnarson.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Arnarson, A., Geirsdottir, O., Ramel, A. et al. Response to ‘Increasing physical activity requires increasing energy intake in elderly’. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 895 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.114

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.114

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