This comes to us from New York: Meat eaters might be happy to learn of new findings from a study out of Japan suggesting that eating meat at least every two days during middle age may help maintain independent daily activities when older.
In the study researchers evaluated meat, fish, and egg intake, in 1,042 men and 1,274 women. At the start of the study participants were 47 to 59 years old and independently mobile.
Nineteen years later researchers took a look at activities of daily living, such as independent feeding, dressing, bathing, and mobility, in the study group. During this period, 427 of the participants died and another 75 became dependent due to their inability to care for themselves.
Among the remaining participants, Nakamura and colleagues found eating meat at least twice weekly, compared with less meat consumption, during middle age significantly lessened the risk for impaired physical function.
The researchers did not find the same from eating fish or eggs at least once daily, and noted no impact on mortality from any of the three foods.
The bottom line is that eating meat at the level reported in this study may help elderly better preserve muscle mass due to increased protein intake which, in turn, may play a role in elders' ability to continue to perform daily activities.
