Nutrition, Health and Quality of Life: Development of New Formulations of Traditional Products of the "Made in Italy" Diet Optimized for Consumers With an Age Over 50 Years (MIAO 50)

Nutritional Trial With Fortified Milk in 65+ Years Old Subjects

The study ""Nutritional trial with fortified milk in 65+ years old subjects" is a part of a complex research project and multi-sectoral development (MIAO 50) with the participation of University Research Institutes and small and medium Italian enterprises.

The general objective of the call is to promote the collaboration between the best scientific knowledge, both epidemiological and experimental, and the most advanced technologies to develop foods with a nutritional profile adequate to the needs of consumers with an age over 50 years old, which are easy to use and make it possible to eat in a healthy manner, complete and balanced and also meets the quality and flavors of traditional Italian.

Aging is associated with a functional decline of most physiological systems including the immune system. It could be hypothesized that an inadequate nutritional status may amplify the effects of a low-grade chronic inflammation associated with age influencing the functionality of the immune systems, the resistance to infections, the cognitive function and contributing to an increased morbidity and mortality. Indeed experimental evidence indicate that improving the nutritional status attenuates the decline in immune and cognitive functions, in physical performance associated with age by helping to improve the level of Quality of Life.

Therefore, the present study focus on nutrients and micronutrient which have a role in fighting oxidative stress, in the regulation of inflammatory responses and the immune system.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Subjects with an age between 63 and 80 years old, males and females, free-living, resident in Bologna and its province.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Allergy or intolerance to cow's milk or a dislike. Dietary treatments and use of specific supplements of molecules associated with the proposed intervention up to two months before the start of the trial. Presence of celiac disease and other malabsorption. Presence of disease with poor prognosis in the short term. Chronic therapy with anticoagulants, corticosteroids, and anti-cancer. Exclusion of subjects with onset of chronic-degenerative diseases in the last year, presence of type I diabetes and chronic viral hepatitis.