Poor Appetite and Inflammation Linked to Mobility Loss in Older Adults

Researchers examined appetite, inflammation, and incident mobility loss in 3,073 community-dwelling adults aged 70–79 in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition study. Baseline assessments included appetite and interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and C-reactive protein. Participants were followed for up to six years for persistent lower-extremity limitation, defined as two consecutive reports, six months apart, of difficulty walking a quarter mile or climbing 10 steps without resting.

Impaired appetite was reported by 388 participants (12.6%). These participants more often developed mobility limitations than those with good appetite (64% versus 47%; p<0.001) and had higher levels of all three inflammatory markers. After adjustment for demographics, chronic diseases, anxiety, depression, medications, and sensory factors, impaired appetite remained associated with functional loss (hazard ratio 1.44; 95% CI 1.2–1.7). By 18 months, cumulative incidence was approximately 40% with impaired appetite versus 20% with good appetite. Participants with impaired appetite and elevated levels of all three markers reached approximately 50% cumulative incidence by 12 months.

The findings suggest appetite impairment may identify older adults needing nutritional assessment and supportive care. However, this observational analysis cannot establish causality or demonstrate that treating inflammation prevents mobility loss. The available abstract provides no evidence supporting inflammation-targeted treatment; full-text methods and results were unavailable for review.