Diet Nutrition
Age-related loss of muscle mass and function is common in the elderly and can lead to disability, loss of independence and increased risk of death. Sarcopenia is a key contributor to frailty and increased dependency in older adults (Cruz Jentoft et al., 2010) and thus is highly prevalent among institutionalized older adults (Bravo-Jose et al., 2018). Diet, specifically protein, has a role in the prevention and treatment of muscle loss in the older adult population nevertheless there is paucity of research on the effect of protein supplementation on lean body mass and other clinical outcomes in older adults in residential care (Donaldson et al., 2019) where the prevalence of muscle loss and weakness is reported to be high (Senior et al, 2015; Landi et al, 2012). Protein supplementation, in combination with exercise or additional nutritional supplements, has been shown to exert beneficial effects on muscle in community dwelling sarcopenic older adults (Kim et al., 2012, Bauer et al., 2015), albeit the effects of protein supplements alone have not been extensively studied in sarcopenic individuals. Muscle protein synthesis is influenced by both the amount and type of protein consumed (Pennings et al., 2011, Devries and Phillips, 2015).
The proposed PhD project aims to investigate the efficacy of a novel protein hydrolysate derived from the pelagic fish, blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), which to date has predominantly been used to produce protein hydrolysates for the feed industry. The proposed PhD project aims to evaluate the potential of a selected blue whiting protein hydrolysate (BWPH) to beneficially modulate markers of sarcopenia in free living community dwelling older adults (study 2) and older adults residing in care homes (study 3).
Study 1 Aim:
A systematic review will be undertaken to investigate the efficacy of different protein sources on the risk of sarcopenia.
Study 2 Aim:
To investigate the effect of blue whiting protein on whole body lean mass tissue and measures of muscle strength and functionality in free living community dwelling older adults.
Study 3 Aim:
To investigate the effect of BWPH supplementation on whole body lean mass tissue and measures of muscle strength and functionality in older adults in care homes.
Design used for study 2 and 3
A double blind randomised parallel human intervention trial will be undertaken at UU to investigate the impact of consuming the BWPH on measures of muscle mass and function. The primary outcome of the study will be to measure differences in lean tissue mass between participants consuming BWPH and the control. Secondary measures will investigate changes in muscle functionality through the use of hand grip strength, ‘Timed get up and go’ test and 6-minute walk test. The impact of treatment on quality of life will also be investigated using the validated Short Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2). Blood measures associated with sarcopenia (serum vitamin D status, pro- inflammatory cytokine profile) will be quantified and basic measures of general health will be assessed (full lipid profile as well as liver and kidney function tests). A four-day weight food diary will be collected at baseline to determine habitual protein intake differences between the treatment groups. The recent physical activity questionnaire (RPAQ) will be complete at baseline and post- intervention to determine each participant’s level of physical activity. A power calculation was based on data from Norton et al. (2015) in which a lean tissue mass difference of 0.61 kg between the protein group and placebo group with a 1.4 kg standard deviation (based on Borsheim et al. 2008) would require a minimum sample size of 38 participants per group. A final sample size of 75 per treatment group was selected to ensure sufficient sample size given the reported high dropout rate reported in previous studies (>50%) (Norton et al. 2015).
Eligibility Criteria
· Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a first or upper second-class honours degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study. Applicants deemed by Senate to hold an equivalent qualification will also be considered.
· Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year, or part-time equivalent, funded from any source, including self-financing researchers, are NOT eligible for a scholarship.
· All applicants should also hold a relevant English language qualification. All applications for scholarships will be considered on a competitive basis and with regard to the applicant’s qualifications, skills, experience and interests.
· Competition for funded entry is very high. It is important that all parts of the application process are completed in accordance with the instructions. All applicants are advised to discuss their application with the staff noted within the project description prior to submission.
· Applicants should note that disclosure of disability or personal circumstances should be made as part of the application process or as soon as possible thereafter in order to facilitate any necessary accommodation.
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