Adherence to the Eatwell Guide and associations with markers of physical function: a prospective analysis within the UK Biobank cohort.

Authors

Alex Griffiths, Sarah Gregory, Fiona C Malcomson, Kirstie Cronin, Jamie Matu, Louisa Ells, Oliver M Shannon

Published in

GeroScience. Jul 16, 2026. Epub Jul 16, 2026.

Abstract

The Eatwell Guide represents the UK's principal healthy eating model and understanding whether adherence to UK dietary recommendations can attenuate age-related functional decline is essential to inform healthy ageing strategies. In up to 157,457 participants from the UK Biobank, we explored cross-sectional and prospective associations between adherence to the Eatwell Guide and markers of physical function (grip strength, fat-free mass percentage, self-reported walking pace, and falls). Eatwell Guide adherence scores were derived from 24-h dietary recall data (Oxford WebQ), and quantified using a graded, food-based scoring system. Differences between population subgroups including by age, sex, physical activity, and protein intake level were explored. Higher Eatwell Guide adherence was cross-sectionally associated with higher grip strength, greater fat-free mass percentage, higher odds of brisk walking pace, and lower odds of falls (all p < 0.001). Prospectively, greater adherence was associated with attenuated fat-free mass decline (β = 0.02, SE = 0.001, p < 0.001) and slower grip strength decline (β = 0.01, SE = 0.002, p < 0.01). For walking pace, the positive cross-sectional association attenuated over follow-up (EWG × time interaction OR = 0.998, 95% CI 0.997-0.999, p = 0.002), whereas the protective association with falls remained stable over time (OR = 1.000, 95% CI 0.998-1.000, p = 0.89). Higher Eatwell Guide adherence was associated with preserved muscle mass, modest attenuation of grip strength decline over time, and a reduced risk of falls, supporting its relevance for musculoskeletal health and physical function in aging populations.

PMID:
42463612
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 17 Jul 2026.

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