Dietary Habits and Lifestyle of Nonagenarians and Centenarians in the Italian Abruzzo Region

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The CenTEnari study is a cross-sectional study aiming at suveying the dietary and lifestyle habits of nonagenarians and centenarianss of citizens of the Abruzzo region, Italy.

Detailed Description
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Several epidemiological studies indicates that diet and physical activity are two pivotal pillars for the maintenance the of the health status and for longevity. These two last factors seem to be strictly linked between them, as demonstrated by some studies on the so called Blue zones, particular lands in the planet where longevity rate - in terms of nonagenarians and centenarians - is particularly high. In these studies, it has been pointed out that, other than genetics, individuals following dietary regimens with lower consumption of available carbohydrates and processed foods, higher consumption of fruit, vegetables, cereals and pulses and moderate intake of meat, fish and dairy foods live longer and in a healthier status. The Abruzzo region is characterized by a great gastronomical variability, due also to the particular geographical characterization, with a few kilometer distance between sea and mountains. However, most of these dietary habits tend to stick in a valuable way to Mediterranean Diet, a dietary regimen listed in 2010 in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Intriguingly, the Mediterranean Diet is based on the intake of the above mentioned food groups, plus a recognized key role of the physical activity and conviviality in the meal consumption. Particularly, in the internal and mountainous part of the Abruzzo region, it has been found that the local citizens followed/follows a typical dietary practice called sdijuno, which in local dialect means to break the fasting of the night. In fact, sdijuno was the first abundant meal of the day - usually at mid-morning, based on the local vegetable-based foods - following the previous frugal dinner and breakfast meals. Thus, it can be hypothesized of 14-16 hours of almost fasting period. This evidence falls into the most recent findings showing the importance to consume meals in the middle part of the day and limiting the caloric intake during evening time, when metabolism tends to decrease according to body circadian rhythm. Based on these premises, the aim of the present study is to survey the dietary habits of nonagenarians and centenarians of the Abruzzo region - particularly focusing on their adherence to sdijuno practice - as well as physical activity and to collect personal data and health status information. Then, it will be investigated whether the adherence to the sdijuno dietary practice is relevant among the nonagenarians and centenarians and there is a link between this practice and the longevity of the volunteers. To do this, an ad hoc questionnaire has been set-up and will be administered to register food frequency and meal time, main recipes, physical activity habits, health status.

Official Title
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Dietary Habits and Lifestyle of Nonagenarians and Centenarians in the Italian Abruzzo Region

Conditions
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LONGEVITY 1, Diet Habit, Fasting, Activity, Motor

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Questionnaire administrations


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Age ≥ 90 years old Borned and living for most of their life in the Abruzzo region. Exclusion Criteria: Age lower 80 years old.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 90 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Nonagenarians and Centenarians<br>Nonagenarians and Centenarians borned and living for most of their life in the Abruzzo region. | Behavioral: Questionnaire administrations<br>* Administration of an ad hoc questionnaire to register food frequency consumption and meal time, main recipes; phisical activity questionnaire and list of questions concerning the previous and actual health status of participants<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Frequency of intake of food groups | Observed information regarding the frequency of the consumption different food groups during subejects' period of youth | 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Moderate or Vigorous Physical Activity Per Week | Self reported practice of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week during subejects' period of youth and old age (minutes-per-week) | 1 Week | 
| Mealtime | Self reported information regarding the daily mealtime during subejects' period of youth and old age (hour and minutes of meal eating) | 1 Day | 
| Body weight | Self reported body weight (kg) | 1 Day | 
| Body height | Self reported body height (m) | 1 Day | 
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | Weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2 | 1 Day | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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Sdijuno, Centenarians, Dietary habits, Longevity, Fasting