CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT01754012NU-AGEUpdated Feb 18, 2016

European Project on Nutrition in Elderly People

An interventional study of Dietary Intervention in Aging, sponsored by University of Bologna. Completed at 5 sites in 5 countries. Open to participants aged 65 Years to 79 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-02-18.

Sponsored by University of Bologna · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
1,190
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
65 Years to 79 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

NU-AGE is a large multidisciplinary consortium (31 partners, from 17 EU countries) involving nutritionists, bio-gerontologists, immunologists and molecular biologists from the most prestigious institutions in Europe, 5 large food industries, 8 traditional food companies and 1 biotech SME, SPES GEIE and CIAA, covering the SME Food Industrial Associations of 13 European countries and the European Confederation the food and drink industry. NU-AGE aims are: 1. to counteract the physical/cognitive decline occurring in the elderly as a consequence of the progressive alteration of different organs/systems (immune and cardiovascular systems, bone, brain, muscle and intestine) by one year elderly-tailored whole diet intervention on 1250 healthy elderly men and women aged 65-79 years (half diet, half control) from 5 different EU regions; 2. to assess the effect of the newly designed food pyramid specific for 65+ EU citizens on the different organs/systems using a large set of biomarkers related to nutrition and aging, with particular attention to the low grade, chronic, systemic inflammatory status named inflammageing, a major risk factor for common age-related diseases; 3. to perform in a subgroup of 120 subjects in depth studies and high throughput "omics" to identify cellular/molecular targets/mechanisms responsible for whole diet effect; 4. to perform genetic and epigenetic studies to assess the role of individual variability on the response to diet; 5. to adopt an integrative comprehensive approach (systems biology) to analyze the whole set of data. The results of dietary intervention will be used to develop elderly-tailored prototypes of functional foods and to improve traditional foods. The research activity will be accompanied and followed by a strong activity of dissemination and industrial exploitation to support EU strategies on nutritional recommendations, thus contributing to the implementation of legislation related to nutritional and health claims for elderly in Europe.

02

Conditions studied

  • Aging

Keywords

  • Nutrition
  • Dietary intervention
  • Aging
  • Inflammation
  • Elderly
  • Europe
03

In context

Lead sponsor

University of Bologna is the lead sponsor of 153 studies on the registry; 24 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
65 Years to 79 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • 65-79 years old.
  • Free of clinically diagnosed overt disease for at least 2 years.
  • Free-living, independent.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • \<65 or > 79 years old.
  • Overt disease such as aggressive cancer or dementia.
  • Unstable organ failure or organ failure necessitating a special diet.
  • Heart failure.
  • Renal failure.
  • Respiratory failure.
  • Liver failure.
  • Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
  • Chronic use of corticosteroids.
  • Recent (previous 2 months) use of antibiotics.
  • Recent (previous 3 months) change to habitual medication (e.g statins and thyroxine) use
  • Presence of food allergy/intolerance or disease necessitating a special diet.
  • Malnutrition, as diagnosed by body mass index \< 18.5 kg/m2.
  • Body weight loss of >10% BW within 6 months.
  • Presence of frailty (as assessed by the presence of at least three out of five criteria according to Fried et al., 2001: unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, weakness (grip strength), slow walking speed, and low physical activity).
  • Individual unable to give informed consent.
  • Volunteers showing previously unrecognized illness will also be excluded.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
1,190 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Dietary Intervention

    This group will follow for a year the NU-AGE whole diet approach elderly-specific and will be supplemented with 10micrograms per day of Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) from MCOHealth.

    Dietary Supplement: Dietary Intervention

  • No intervention
    Control Group

    This group will follow the habitual diet.

Interventions

  • Dietary supplementDietary Intervention

    nutrient-rich diet and 10micrograms per day of Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplement from MCOHealth

    Also known as: NU-AGE diet, NU-AGE whole diet approach

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Inflammatory Response

    Reduction of inflammatory markers after one-year of NU-AGE dietary intervention in elderly. Measures of inflammatory status and immune health will be evaluated on plasma: C-reactive protein (hsCRP) IL-1Beta, IL-12, INF gamma, IL-6, sIL-6R, IL-1RA, TNFalpha, IL-17, IL-8, IL-10, TGF-beta1, positivity for HCMV.

    Time frame: 1 year

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cognitive Status

    The following standardized questionnaires will be administered to volunteers pre and post dietary intervention to evaluate cognitive function: 1. CERAD Neuropsychological Assessment Battery 2. Domain Specific Tests (GDS, Babcock story Recall, Trail Making Test)

    Time frame: 1 year

  2. Cardiovascular Health Status

    Evaluation of blood pressure and measure of lipid profile (triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol) pre and post dietary intervention on plasma.

    Time frame: 1 year

  3. Insulin sensitivity

    Glucose, insulin and Hba1C will be measured on plasma pre and post dietary intervention

    Time frame: 1 year

  4. Liver Function Status

    ASAT, ALAT, GGT and alkaline phosphatase parameters will be measured on plasma samples pre and post dietary intervention.

    Time frame: 1 year

  5. Hormonal Status

    Leptin and adiponectin hormones will be measured on plasma samples pre and post dietary intervention

    Time frame: 1 year

  6. Nutritional Status

    The Nutritional status will be evaluated on plasma measuring vitamin B12 and folate concentrations.

    Time frame: 1 year

  7. Digestive Health Status

    Questionnaire to assess bowel function, gastrointestinal disturbances and evacuation frequency will be administered to participants pre and post dietary intervention.

    Time frame: 1 year

  8. Bone Health Status

    All participants, pre and post dietary intervention, will undergone DXA exam to evaluate bone mineral density, also 25-OH vitamin D, parathyroid hormone will be measured on plasma samples.

    Time frame: 1 year

  9. Physical Functioning

    The following standardized questionnaires will be administered to volunteers pre and post dietary intervention to evaluate physical function: 1. SPPB 2. Hand grip test 3. Gait Speed Test 4. ADL, IADL 5. PASE

    Time frame: 1 year

  10. Changes on Cellular and Molecular mechanisms after diet: Immunological Status

    On a subgroup of 125subjects (pre and post diet), the following of additional analyses on plasma will be performed to evaluate the immunological status of participants: 1. Expression and responsiveness of Toll-like receptors, measured as production of downstream cytokines (IFN-a, IFN-b, IFN-y, IL12p40, IL12p70, SOCS3) 2. Expression of co-stimulatory molecules (CD1, MHC Class II, CD40, CD80, CD86, CD152, CD154, DC1/DC2)

    Time frame: 1 year

  11. Changes on Cellular and Molecular mechanisms after diet: Epigenetic signature

    On a subgroup of 120 subjects (pre and post diet), the epigenetic signature will be evaluated through methylation assay on isolated PBMC.

    Time frame: 1 year

  12. Changes on Cellular and Molecular mechanisms after diet: biochemical modifications

    On a subgroup of 120 subjects (pre and post diet), proteasome and immunoproteasome composition and activity will be measured on proteins from isolated PBMC.

    Time frame: 1 year

  13. Transcriptomics

    On a subgroup of 120 subjects (pre and post diet) a transcriptomics analysis will be performed on mRNA from isolated PBMC by high throughput technologies "omics".

    Time frame: 1 year

  14. Metabolomics

    On a subgroup of 120 subjects (pre and post diet) a the metabolic profile will be performed on urine and plasma/serum by high throughput technologies "omics".

    Time frame: 1 year

  15. Metagenomics

    On a subgroup of 120 subjects (pre and post diet) the functional and compositional analysis of the microbiota will be assessed on feces by high throughput technologies "omics".

    Time frame: 1 year

Other outcomes

  1. Habitual Diet

    Over the course of the 1-year intervention period assessment of habitual diet, will be conducted by repeated the 7 days nutritional diary administered in person (month 1 and 12) and 3 days nutritional diary administered at interim time points (months 4-8) by telephone.

    Time frame: 4 months

  2. Genetic profiling

    The genetic profiling of genes involved in inflammageing will be analyzed (only before diet) in order to assess genotype-phenotype and genotype-diet phenotype associations.

    Time frame: Time 0

  3. General Health information

    Information will be collected at month 1 and 12 on smoking status, health status, physical activity levels, alcohol consumption and medication and supplement use, so that these parameters can be added to all statistical analysis models as confounders

    Time frame: 1 year

07

Study locations

5 sites
  • Auvergne Research Center on Human Nutrition
    Clermont-Ferrand, 63009, France
  • University of Bologna-Department of Speciality, Diagnostic and Experimental Medicine
    Bologna, 40126, Italy
  • University of Wageningen-Division of Human Nutrition
    Wageningen, 6703 HD, Netherlands
  • Warsaw University of Life Science SGGW-WULS-Department of Human Nutrition
    Warsaw, 02-776, Poland
  • Department of Nurition-University of East Anglia
    Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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References and documents

Publications

  • Grootswagers P, Mensink M, Berendsen AAM, Deen CPJ, Kema IP, Bakker SJL, Santoro A, Franceschi C, Meunier N, Malpuech-Brugere C, Bialecka-Debek A, Rolf K, Fairweather-Tait S, Jennings A, Feskens EJM, de Groot LCPGM. Vitamin B-6 intake is related to physical performance in European older adults: results of the New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe (NU-AGE) study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021 Apr 6;113(4):781-789. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa368. PubMed 33515034 ↗
  • Jennings A, Tang J, Gillings R, Perfecto A, Dutton J, Speakman J, Fraser WD, Nicoletti C, Berendsen AAM, de Groot LCPGM, Pietruszka B, Jeruszka-Bielak M, Caumon E, Caille A, Ostan R, Franceschi C, Santoro A, Fairweather-Tait SJ. Changing from a Western to a Mediterranean-style diet does not affect iron or selenium status: results of the New Dietary Strategies Addressing the Specific Needs of the Elderly Population for Healthy Aging in Europe (NU-AGE) 1-year randomized clinical trial in elderly Europeans. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020 Jan 1;111(1):98-109. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqz243. PubMed 31559434 ↗
  • Giampieri E, Ostan R, Guidarelli G, Salvioli S, Berendsen AAM, Brzozowska A, Pietruszka B, Jennings A, Meunier N, Caumon E, Fairweather-Tait S, Sicinska E, Feskens EJM, de Groot LCPGM, Franceschi C, Santoro A. A Novel Approach to Improve the Estimation of a Diet Adherence Considering Seasonality and Short Term Variability - The NU-AGE Mediterranean Diet Experience. Front Physiol. 2019 Mar 5;10:149. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00149. eCollection 2019. PubMed 30890946 ↗
  • Pujos-Guillot E, Petera M, Jacquemin J, Centeno D, Lyan B, Montoliu I, Madej D, Pietruszka B, Fabbri C, Santoro A, Brzozowska A, Franceschi C, Comte B. Identification of Pre-frailty Sub-Phenotypes in Elderly Using Metabolomics. Front Physiol. 2019 Jan 24;9:1903. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01903. eCollection 2018. PubMed 30733683 ↗
  • Jennings A, Berendsen AM, de Groot LCPGM, Feskens EJM, Brzozowska A, Sicinska E, Pietruszka B, Meunier N, Caumon E, Malpuech-Brugere C, Santoro A, Ostan R, Franceschi C, Gillings R, O' Neill CM, Fairweather-Tait SJ, Minihane AM, Cassidy A. Mediterranean-Style Diet Improves Systolic Blood Pressure and Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults. Hypertension. 2019 Mar;73(3):578-586. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.118.12259. PubMed 30636547 ↗
  • Ostan R, Guidarelli G, Giampieri E, Lanzarini C, Berendsen AAM, Januszko O, Jennings A, Lyon N, Caumon E, Gillings R, Sicinska E, Meunier N, Feskens EJM, Pietruszka B, de Groot LCPGM, Fairweather-Tait S, Capri M, Franceschi C, Santoro A. Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Correlation Between Daily Nutrient Intake Assessed by 7-Day Food Records and Biomarkers of Dietary Intake Among Participants of the NU-AGE Study. Front Physiol. 2018 Oct 1;9:1359. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.01359. eCollection 2018. PubMed 30327612 ↗
  • Maijo M, Ivory K, Clements SJ, Dainty JR, Jennings A, Gillings R, Fairweather-Tait S, Gulisano M, Santoro A, Franceschi C, Carding SR, Nicoletti C. One-Year Consumption of a Mediterranean-Like Dietary Pattern With Vitamin D3 Supplements Induced Small Scale but Extensive Changes of Immune Cell Phenotype, Co-receptor Expression and Innate Immune Responses in Healthy Elderly Subjects: Results From the United Kingdom Arm of the NU-AGE Trial. Front Physiol. 2018 Jul 26;9:997. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00997. eCollection 2018. PubMed 30093866 ↗
  • Jennings A, Cashman KD, Gillings R, Cassidy A, Tang J, Fraser W, Dowling KG, Hull GLJ, Berendsen AAM, de Groot LCPGM, Pietruszka B, Wierzbicka E, Ostan R, Bazzocchi A, Battista G, Caumon E, Meunier N, Malpuech-Brugere C, Franceschi C, Santoro A, Fairweather-Tait SJ. A Mediterranean-like dietary pattern with vitamin D3 (10 microg/d) supplements reduced the rate of bone loss in older Europeans with osteoporosis at baseline: results of a 1-y randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Sep 1;108(3):633-640. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy122. PubMed 30007343 ↗
  • Marseglia A, Xu W, Fratiglioni L, Fabbri C, Berendsen AAM, Bialecka-Debek A, Jennings A, Gillings R, Meunier N, Caumon E, Fairweather-Tait S, Pietruszka B, De Groot LCPGM, Santoro A, Franceschi C. Effect of the NU-AGE Diet on Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 4;9:349. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00349. eCollection 2018. PubMed 29670545 ↗
  • Fairweather-Tait SJ, Jennings A, Harvey LJ, Berry R, Walton J, Dainty JR. Modeling tool for calculating dietary iron bioavailability in iron-sufficient adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 Jun;105(6):1408-1414. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.147389. Epub 2017 Apr 5. PubMed 28381473 ↗
  • Hooper L, Bunn DK, Abdelhamid A, Gillings R, Jennings A, Maas K, Millar S, Twomlow E, Hunter PR, Shepstone L, Potter JF, Fairweather-Tait SJ. Water-loss (intracellular) dehydration assessed using urinary tests: how well do they work? Diagnostic accuracy in older people. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 Jul;104(1):121-31. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.119925. Epub 2016 May 25. PubMed 27225436 ↗
  • Hooper L, Abdelhamid A, Ali A, Bunn DK, Jennings A, John WG, Kerry S, Lindner G, Pfortmueller CA, Sjostrand F, Walsh NP, Fairweather-Tait SJ, Potter JF, Hunter PR, Shepstone L. Diagnostic accuracy of calculated serum osmolarity to predict dehydration in older people: adding value to pathology laboratory reports. BMJ Open. 2015 Oct 21;5(10):e008846. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008846. PubMed 26490100 ↗
  • Berendsen A, Santoro A, Pini E, Cevenini E, Ostan R, Pietruszka B, Rolf K, Cano N, Caille A, Lyon-Belgy N, Fairweather-Tait S, Feskens E, Franceschi C, de Groot CP. Reprint of: A parallel randomized trial on the effect of a healthful diet on inflammageing and its consequences in European elderly people: design of the NU-AGE dietary intervention study. Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:14-21. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2014.03.001. Epub 2014 Mar 20. PubMed 24657127 ↗
  • Hooper L, Bunn D, Jimoh FO, Fairweather-Tait SJ. Water-loss dehydration and aging. Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:50-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2013.11.009. Epub 2013 Dec 9. PubMed 24333321 ↗
  • Fairweather-Tait SJ, Wawer AA, Gillings R, Jennings A, Myint PK. Iron status in the elderly. Mech Ageing Dev. 2014 Mar-Apr;136-137:22-8. doi: 10.1016/j.mad.2013.11.005. Epub 2013 Nov 22. PubMed 24275120 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 18, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01754012
Lead sponsor
University of Bologna
Collaborators
European Commission
Responsible party
Claudio Franceschi (Professor, University of Bologna) — Principal investigator
First posted
Dec 21, 2012
Start date
Apr 2012
Primary completion
Jan 2015
Completion
Jan 2015
Last update
Feb 18, 2016

Study contacts

Claudio Franceschi, MD
principal investigator · University of Bologna

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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