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Perspectives on Diet and Exercise Interaction for Healthy Aging: Opportunities to Reduce Malnutrition Risk and Optimize Fitness
Ana Moradell, José A. Casajús, Luis Alberto Moreno, Germán Vicente‐Rodríguez. Nutrients, 2025-02-06
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Nutrition and exercise play a pivotal role in counteracting the effects of aging, promoting health, and improving physical fitness in older adults. This perspective study examines their interplay, highlighting their combined potential to preserve muscle mass, cognitive function, and quality of life. The objective is to address gaps in the current understanding, such as the frequent neglect of dietary intake in exercise interventions and vice versa, which can limit their effectiveness. Through a synthesis of the existing literature, we identify key findings, emphasizing the importance of adequate nutritional intake-particularly protein, essential amino acids, and micronutrients-in supporting exercise benefits and preventing sarcopenia and malnutrition. Additionally, supplementation strategies, such as omega-3 fatty acids, creatine, and essential amino acids, are explored alongside the emerging role of the gut microbiota in mediating the benefits of nutrition and exercise. Despite these advances, challenges remain, including determining optimal dosages and timing and addressing individual variability in responses. Personalized approaches tailored to sex differences, gut microbiota diversity, and baseline health conditions are critical for maximizing intervention outcomes. Our conclusions underscore the necessity of integrated strategies that align dietary and exercise interventions to support healthy and active aging. By addressing these gaps, future research can provide actionable insights to optimize health and quality of life in older populations.
Key findings
- Additionally, supplementation strategies, such as omega-3 fatty acids, creatine, and essential amino acids, are explored alongside the emerging role of the gut microbiota in mediating the benefits of nutrition and exercise.
- Despite these advances, challenges remain, including determining optimal dosages and timing and addressing individual variability in responses.
- Personalized approaches tailored to sex differences, gut microbiota diversity, and baseline health conditions are critical for maximizing intervention outcomes.
- Our conclusions underscore the necessity of integrated strategies that align dietary and exercise interventions to support healthy and active aging.
- By addressing these gaps, future research can provide actionable insights to optimize health and quality of life in older populations.
Why it matters
This perspective discusses how diet and exercise together may help preserve muscle mass, cognitive function, and quality of life in older adults, and notes that optimal dosages and timing remain unclear. It does not test any intervention for Alzheimer's disease, so it cannot show that these strategies prevent or treat dementia.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Nutrients) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Nutrients: journal h-index 331 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 25 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 13.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 2 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 25 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Germán Vicente‐Rodríguez: h-index 61 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Universidad de Zaragoza: institution h-index 510 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39940452) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Moradell, A., Casajús, J. A., Moreno, L. A., & Vicente‐Rodríguez, G. (2025). Perspectives on Diet and Exercise Interaction for Healthy Aging: Opportunities to Reduce Malnutrition Risk and Optimize Fitness. Nutrients. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030596
Vancouver
Moradell A, Casajús JA, Moreno LA, Vicente‐Rodríguez G. Perspectives on Diet and Exercise Interaction for Healthy Aging: Opportunities to Reduce Malnutrition Risk and Optimize Fitness. Nutrients. 2025. doi:10.3390/nu17030596. PMID: 39940452.
BibTeX
@article{moradell2025-39940452,
author = {Moradell, Ana and Casajús, José A. and Moreno, Luis Alberto and Vicente‐Rodríguez, Germán},
title = {{Perspectives on Diet and Exercise Interaction for Healthy Aging: Opportunities to Reduce Malnutrition Risk and Optimize Fitness}},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/nu17030596},
pmid = {39940452},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17030596}
}
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