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Research Nut: Mixed Nuts

Long-term consumption of nuts (including peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts) in relation to risk of frailty in older women: evidence from a cohort study.

Wang, R., M.T. Hannan, M. Wang, A.W. Schwartz, E. Lopez-Garcia, F. Grodstein, 2023. Long-term consumption of nuts (including peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts) in relation to risk of frailty in older women: evidence from a cohort study. J Nutr. 153(3):820-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.003

Background: Adherence to a healthy diet is inversely associated with frailty. However, the relationship between nuts, a key food group of Mediterranean diet, and frailty is unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association between nut consumption and frailty in an aging female population. Methods: This population-based observational study included nonfrail women (60 y old) in the NHS from 11 states of the United States. Outcome was incident frailty, defined as having 3 of the FRAIL components (fatigue, lower strength, reduced aerobic capacity, multiple chronic conditions, and significant weight loss) and assessed every 4 y from 1992 to 2016. From 1990 to 2014, FFQs were used to assess the intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts (added in 1998), and other nuts at 4-y intervals. Exposure was total nut consumption, calculated as the sum of intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts and categorized into <1 serving/mo, 1-3 servings/mo, 1 serving/wk, 2-4 servings/wk, and ≥ 5 servings/wk. The relations of intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, and walnuts with frailty were also investigated separately. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations between nut consumption and frailty after adjusting for age, smoking, BMI, EI, diet quality, and medication use. Results: Among 71,704 participants, 14,195 incident frailty cases occurred over 1,165,290 person-years. The adjusted HR (95% CI) for consuming ≥ 5 servings/wk of nuts was 0.80 (0.73, 0.87), as compared with <1 serving/mo. Higher intakes of peanuts and walnuts, but not peanut butter, were also inversely associated with frailty. Conclusions: This large prospective cohort study showed a strong and consistent inverse association between regular nut consumption and incident frailty. This suggests that nut consumption should be further tested as a convenient public health intervention for the preservation of health and well-being in older adults.

Long-term consumption of nuts (including peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts) in relation to risk of frailty in older women: evidence from a cohort study.

Wang, R., M.T. Hannan, M. Wang, A.W. Schwartz, E. Lopez-Garcia, F. Grodstein, 2023. Long-term consumption of nuts (including peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts) in relation to risk of frailty in older women: evidence from a cohort study. J Nutr. 153(3):820-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.01.003

Background: Adherence to a healthy diet is inversely associated with frailty. However, the relationship between nuts, a key food group of Mediterranean diet, and frailty is unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association between nut consumption and frailty in an aging female population. Methods: This population-based observational study included nonfrail women (60 y old) in the NHS from 11 states of the United States. Outcome was incident frailty, defined as having 3 of the FRAIL components (fatigue, lower strength, reduced aerobic capacity, multiple chronic conditions, and significant weight loss) and assessed every 4 y from 1992 to 2016. From 1990 to 2014, FFQs were used to assess the intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts (added in 1998), and other nuts at 4-y intervals. Exposure was total nut consumption, calculated as the sum of intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, walnuts, and other nuts and categorized into <1 serving/mo, 1–3 servings/mo, 1 serving/wk, 2 4 servings/wk, and  5 servings/wk. The relations of intakes of peanuts, peanut butter, and walnuts with frailty were also investigated separately. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the associations between nut consumption and frailty after adjusting for age, smoking, BMI, EI, diet quality, and medication use. Results: Among 71,704 participants, 14,195 incident frailty cases occurred over 1,165,290 person-years. The adjusted HR (95% CI) for consuming 5 servings/wk of nuts was 0.80 (0.73, 0.87), as compared with <1 serving/mo. Higher intakes of peanuts and walnuts, but not peanut butter, were also inversely associated with frailty. Conclusions: This large prospective cohort study showed a strong and consistent inverse association between regular nut consumption and incident frailty. This suggests that nut consumption should be further tested as a convenient public health intervention for the preservation of health and well-being in older adults.

Key Area: Body Weight and Composition

Longer-term mixed nut consumption improves brain vascular function and memory: A randomized, controlled crossover trial in older adults.

Nijssen, K.M.R., R.P. Mensink, J. Plat, P.J. Joris, 2023. Longer-term mixed nut consumption improves brain vascular function and memory: A randomized, controlled crossover trial in older adults. Clin Nutr. 42(7):1067-1075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2023.05.025

Background: Nut consumption may reduce age-related cognitive decline, but underlying mechanisms are unclear. Objective: To investigate in older adults longer-term effects of mixed nut consumption on brain vascular function, which may underlie improvements in cognitive performance. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy individuals (age [mean ± SD]: 65 ± 3 years; BMI: 27.9 ± 2.3 kg/m2) were included in a randomized, single-blinded, cross-over trial with a 16-week intervention (60 g/d mixed nuts: walnuts, pistachio, cashew, and hazelnuts) and control period (no nuts), separated by 8 weeks of washout. Participants followed the Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. At the end of each period, cerebral blood flow (CBF), a marker of brain vascular function, was quantified using arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging. Effects on endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and the retinal micro vasculature were also assessed. Cognitive performance was measured using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Results: Body weight remained stable during the study. As compared to the control period, the mixed nut intervention resulted in a higher regional CBF in the right frontal and parietal lobes (treatment effect: 5.0 ± 6.5 mL/100 g/min; P < 0.001), left frontal lobe (5.4 ± 7.1 mL/100 g/min; P < 0.001), and bilateral prefrontal cortex (5.6 ± 6.6 mL/100 g/min; P < 0.001). Carotid artery reactivity (0.7 PP; 95% CI: 0.2 to 1.2; P = 0.007), brachial flow-mediated vasodilation (1.6 PP; 95% CI: 1.0 to 2.2; P < 0.001) and retinal arteriolar calibers were higher (2 µm; 95% CI: 0 to 3; P = 0.037), and carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity lower (− 0.6 m/s; 95% CI: −1.1 to −0.1; P = 0.032). Further, visuospatial memory (− 4 errors [16%]; 95%CI: −8 to 0; P = 0.045) and verbal memory (+1 correct [16%]; 0 to 2; P = 0.035) improved, but executive function and psychomotor speed did not change. Conclusions: Longer-term mixed nut consumption as part of a healthy diet beneficially affected brain vascular function, which may relate to the observed beneficial effects on memory in older adults. Moreover, different characteristics of the peripheral vascular tree also improved.

Nuts, Energy Balance and Body Weight.

Baer, D.J., M. Dalton, J. Blundell, G. Finlayson, F.B. Hu, 2023. Nuts, Energy Balance and Body Weight. Nutrients. 15(5):1162. doi: 10.3390/nu15051162.

Over several decades, the health benefits of consuming nuts have been investigated, resulting in a large body of evidence that nuts can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. The consumption of nuts, being a higher-fat plant food, is restricted by some in order to minimize weight gain. In this review, we discuss several factors related to energy intake from nuts, including food matrix and its impact on digestibility, and the role of nuts in regulating appetite. We review the data from randomized controlled trials and observational studies conducted to examine the relationship between nut intake and body weight or body mass index. Consistently, the evidence from RCTs and observational cohorts indicates that higher nut consumption does not cause greater weight gain; rather, nuts may be beneficial for weight control and prevention of long-term weight gain. Multiple mechanisms likely contribute to these findings, including aspects of nut composition which affect nutrient and energy availability as well as satiety signaling.