Multimorbidity, or several chronic conditions, is a global health issue, especially for elderly people. It causes early mortality, hospitalization, loss of physical function, depression, polypharmacy, and quality of life degradation, costing healthcare systems a lot.
Nutrition is crucial to preventing multimorbidity. Binge eating and drinking may increase risk. Dutch cardiometabolic multimorbidity patients eat more meat and snacks. Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to lower risk.
This prospective cohort study examined how nutrition affects multimorbidity risk.
The researchers examined UKWCS data from 25,389 women aged 35–69. The UKWCS dataset comprised food intake, anthropometrics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, and health outcomes.
The mean participant age was 51 years, and 31% (n=7,799) developed multimorbidities over 22 years (median). Multimorbidity was associated with higher BMI, lesser education, higher SES, and higher risk of being single or widowed.
The topmost quintile of regular calorie and protein intake had 8.0% and 12% greater multimorbidity risks than the lowermost quintile (hazard ratio, 1.1). greater statistical quintiles of regular vitamin C consumption had a 10% reduced multimorbidity risk than the lowest quintile, while vitamin D consumption had a 10% greater risk.
Nutrient consumption and multimorbidity risk were linked in the study for preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic techniques.
The data showed that vitamin B12, vitamin D, protein, and energy may increase multimorbidity risk, but vitamin C may decrease it. These relationships were insignificant in multinomial logistic regression.
In women aged <60 years, iron consumption was negatively associated with multimorbidity risk, but there was no association in women aged >60 years.