Sea Vegetables and Fruits as Novel Dietary Pro-tective Factors for Sarcopenia and Muscle Function in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: Sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss, has been found to be influenced by nutrition and lifestyle in studies in the western countries. Little is known, however, about their effect on sarcopenia in Asia. This study examined the association between diet, clinical status, and clinical setting with sarcopenia and physical performance in older adults in Taiwan. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 588 individuals aged ≥65 years recruited from three hospitals in southern Taiwan (2018–2020). Questionnaire, medical chart, and laboratory data were used to study the association between demographic, dietary, nutritional status, and biochemical data with sarcopenia, defined as low muscle mass plus reduced strength or poor physical performance. Logistic regression was used to identify associated factors and linear regression was used to assess the contributions of these factors to grip strength, gait speed, and chair stand time. Results: Sarcopenia was identified in 159 (27.0%) of the 588 participants. Those with sarcopenia had lower education levels, poorer nutritional status, weaker grip strength, and slower mobility. Daily intakes of sea vegetables (adjusted OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.22–0.90) and fresh fruits (adjusted OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.23–0.76) were independently associated with reduced risk of sarcopenia. Those with increased risk were older (adjusted OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01–1.05) and recruited from Pingtung Veterans General Hospital Longquan Branch (adjusted OR = 6.48, 95% CI: 3.16–13.3), compared with those recruited from Pingtung Hospital. Sea vegetable intake was positively associated with grip strength, while fruit intake was inversely associated with chair stand time. Conclusions: Dietary factors, nutritional status, and recruitment setting were significantly associated with sarcopenia risk and physical performance. Prevention efforts might want to focus on increasing consumption sea vegetables and fruits and addressing institutional disparities.