Approved research

Diet type/pattern association with mortality and associations with physical activity/functional status

Lay summary

Diet is a crucial part of a healthy lifestyle. However, it is not fully understood whether other lifestyle factors act to enhance or dampen the harmful effects of an unhealthy diet. The aim of the proposed research is to investigate the association of diet type or pattern with mortality rates and assess whether the strength of associations are effected by: 1) engagement in daily physical activity (type, duration, frequency), 2) physical function (walking pace, fitness and grip strength), 3) specific sedentary behaviours (computer use, driving and TV viewing), 4) pre-existing obesity, 5) smoking. The findings of this study will aim to inform nationwide guidelines on diet and physical activity. Given the rising rates of obesity and its comorbidities within the population, it is necessary to further understand the potential importance of diet and lifestyle factors in reducing mortality. The proposed study is important as it will provide new evidence quantifying the association between diet patterns and mortality as well as whether their associations are modified by other lifestyle behaviours. The findings of this study will aim to inform nationwide guidelines on diet and physical activity. We will quantify the extent to which different dietary patterns/types are associated with increased mortality rates and whether these associations vary between different levels of physical activity, sedentary behaviours and other lifestyle factors. This will enable assessment of what dietary patters are most strongly associated with mortality and how the strength of association varies depending engagement in other lifestyle practices. This analysis will aim to use the full cohort where possible.