REJUVENATION RESEARCH Volume 10, Number 3, 2007 © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. DOI: 10.1089/rej.2007.0596 Nutrition as a Determinant of Successful Aging: Description of the Quebec Longitudinal Study NuAge and Results from Cross-Sectional Pilot Studies Pierrette Gaudreau, 1 José A Morais, 2 Bryna Shatenstein, 3 Katherine Gray-Donald, 4 Abdel Khalil, 5 Isabelle Dionne, 5 Guylaine Ferland, 3 Tamàs Fülöp, 5 Danielle Jacques, 5 Marie-Jeanne Kergoat, 3 Daniel Tessier, 5 Richard Wagner, 5 and Hélène Payette 5 ABSTRACT Optimal nutrition is essential for general well being, maintenance of physical and functional capacities and prevention of chronic disease in the elderly. The 5-year longitudinal study, Nu- Age, was designed to assess the pivotal role of nutrition on physical and cognitive status, functional autonomy and social functioning. A cohort of 1793 men and women, selected from three age groups (68–72, 73–77, 78–82) at recruitment, has been followed annually since 2003–2004. A plurimethodological approach, including basic, clinical, epidemiologic, and so- cial research has been used. Data on various facets of nutritional status (diet, food habits, ap- petite, anthropometry and body composition), and functional (muscle strength, physical ac- tivity, physical and functional capacities and performance), medical (physical, mental and cognitive health, medication) and social data (network, support, participation) are collected by questionnaires or direct measurements. Blood, urine, and saliva samples are also collected and processed for genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and biochemical analyses and to study markers of endocrine, immune, and cognitive functions. Selected bio-psycho-social charac- teristics of the cohort, consumption of macronutrients, and biologic variables are presented, including the impact of intake of certain foods on total antioxidant status. Understanding the aging process as regulated by a modifiable factor such as nutrition should facilitate the de- velopment of targeted strategies for promoting successful aging. 377 1 Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of Aging, Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal Research Center and Department of Medicine, 3 Centre de Recherche, Institut Universitaire de Gériatrie de Montréal and Department of Nutrition, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada. 2 McGill University Health Centre, 4 School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. 5 Research Center on Aging, Health and Social Services Centre-University Institute of Geriatrics of Sherbrooke, Sher- brooke, Canada. INTRODUCTION N UAGE IS THE FIRST Canadian interdiscipli- nary and plurimethodological research initiative focusing on nutrition as a determi- nant of successful aging. It emerged from a con- certed effort by the members of the Research Section on Nutrition and Successful Aging of the Quebec Network for Research on Aging. The study was launched in the fall of 2003. The research team was initially composed of 5 co- principal investigators (H.P., P.G., K.G.-D.,