Diverse Diets, Resilient Aging: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Protective Role of Dietary Diversity Against Frailty in Older Adults

Dietary diversity has been associated with various health outcomes across different populations, but its relationship with frailty in older adults remains underexplored. This study aimed to systematically review the existing literature and conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the association between dietary diversity and frailty in older adults. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies published up to February 2024. Studies involving older adults aged 60 years or above, assessing dietary diversity, and reporting the association between dietary diversity and frailty were included. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Fifteen studies with 70,772 older adults were included, of which 11 were suitable for meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for frailty in older adults with low dietary diversity was 1.60 (95% CI: 1.27–2.03), indicating a significantly higher risk compared to those with high diversity. Subgroup analyses showed consistent associations across different study designs and assessment tools. The pooled beta coefficient was −0.059 (95% CI: −0.081 to −0.036), suggesting an inverse association between dietary diversity and frailty. This systematic review and meta-analysis provide evidence that low dietary diversity is associated with an increased risk of frailty in older adults. Promoting dietary diversity may represent a promising strategy for frailty prevention and healthy aging.