Protein Intake from Various Foods Sources Is Negatively Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Markers in Italian Older Adults

Objectives. To examine the relationships between protein intake from various food sources and cardiometabolic risk markers in Italian older adults. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting: Unconventional settings across Italy (e.g., exhibitions, health promotion campaigns). Participants. People 65+ years who provided a written informed consent. Measurements. Blood pressure (BP), blood glucose, total blood cholesterol, and anthropometric indices were assessed. Daily protein intake was estimated for 12 food items listed in a food frequency questionnaire. Results. Three-thousand four-hundred twenty-four older adults (mean age: 72.7 ± 5.7 years; 55% women) were included in the study. Results of linear regression analysis indicated that protein intake from several food sources was negatively associated with BP, waist and hip circumferences, and waist-to-hip ratio in both sexes. Blood glucose levels were inversely associated with many protein sources in women. Positive associations were observed between some protein sources and total blood cholesterol in both men and women. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that dietary protein is differentially associated with cardiometabolic risk factors depending on sex and food sources.