The Relationship Between Dietary Fat and Sarcopenia, Skeletal Muscle Loss, Osteoporosis and Risk of Fractures in Aging

Abstract

bstract Dietary fat has the capacity to influence skeletal muscle health, sarcopenia, osteoporosis and risk of fractures during aging. The decline of bone health and skeletal muscle mass and function during aging is a major contributory factor to age-related disease including sarcopenia, osteoporosis and risk of fractures. Nutrition represents a modifiable factor, which may be exploited to help reduce the enormous health and social-care burden associated with these conditions. Dietary fat intake consists of different fatty acids, which include saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids. There is wide variability in consumption of these fatty acids as well as for total fat intake. This makes modification of fat intake relevant for population strategies. A number of relevant mechanisms exist for the relationship between dietary fat and skeletal muscle or bone health, but associations have thus far been underexplored in population and intervention studies. Although emerging evidence suggests specific fatty acids are important, further work is required to understand better the balance of different fatty acids in the diet and how this may contribute to musculoskeletal health during aging.