Grant: Catalyst Grant: Analysis of CLSA Data

As we age, muscle mass, strength, and brain function decline, making it harder to stay independent. It can also lead to death. Diet is a modifiable factor that can help prevent these declines. While heart health studies recommend eating more plant-based proteins like legumes, healthy aging studies highlight the benefits of higher-quality animal proteins like meat. Our first objective is to examine whether diet quality is associated with muscle and brain function decline over 6 years in >20,000 older adults. Our second objective is to examine whether plant and animal protein food intakes specifically are associated with these outcomes. Our third objective is to identify unique biological signatures linked to plant and animal protein food intakes in >9000 older adults with genetic and metabolomics data and see if these signatures explain part of the associations from objective 2. For objective 1 and 2, we will apply traditional statistical analyses to examine the associations of diet and protein intake with muscle and brain function trajectories. For objective 3, we will use machine learning algorithms to identify signatures. Leveraging detailed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, this research aims to clarify whether plant or animal proteins-or a specific balance of both-are better for muscle and brain health. The findings will help shape dietary recommendations for healthy aging and offer insights into the biological processes behind these associations. Additionally, the study will evaluate whether certain metabolites can serve as potential markers of protein source intake.