Precision Nutrition Strategies for Improving the Quality of Life of Pre-senior and Senior Populations

Control diet: A Mediterranean conventional diet based on the current dietary guidelines of the Spanish Society of Community Nutrition (SENC). Participants were strongly advised to use the Healthy Eating Plate (Harvard) to structure and prepare the main meals (lunch and dinner). In this way, at least ½ of the plate should be composed of vegetables, ¼ of lean protein, and ¼ of low glycemic index carbohydrates. The diet encourages participants to eat 5 times/day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks). Overall, the control diet was based on high consumption of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, healthy fats (olive oil), and healthy proteins (legumes, fish, and lean meat). There was not energy restriction in the control diet.

Nutriprecision diet: a Mediterranean balanced diet based on the inclusion of precision foods designed according to the particularities of the senior population. The selected precision foods were a) fruit compote, b) smoothie, c) extruded meat product, d) wholemeal bread, e) wholemeal biscuit and f) microwaveable deep-frozen vegetable products. The diet encourages participants to eat 5 times/day with a conventionally balanced distribution of macronutrients (50% of the total caloric value from carbohydrates, 20% from proteins, and 30% from lipids). There was not energy restriction, although the energy requirements of the participants were adjusted to a BMI of 25 kg/m2 to avoid an overestimate of calorie intake. A mobile application designed and developed to provide volunteers with information about follow-up visits, the assigned diet, recommendations, and messages to motivate them during the intervention. A digital tool for cognitive stimulation.