The Study
Association between usual protein intake and muscle function in older U.S. adults: a target-trial emulation using NHANES 2011–2018
This study looked at whether people who eat more protein tend to have better muscle function, but it only checked everyone once — like taking a snapshot. So we can't tell if eating more protein made them stronger, or if stronger people just ate more protein because they could move better.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at whether older adults who eat more protein over time have less trouble walking or climbing stairs.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 544 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — if you're over 60 and eating less than 1 gram of protein per kg of body weight, you might be at higher risk of mobility problems, and increasing intake to around 1.0–1.1 g/kg could help.
- 2People who ate about 1.0–1.1 grams of protein per kg of body weight had the biggest drop in walking trouble.
- 3Those eating less than 0.8 g/kg had the most trouble; those eating more than 1.2 g/kg didn’t get much more benefit.
- 4On average, older adults ate only 0.93 g/kg.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2026
Authors
Yang Ling, Mingxuan Hou, Muhammad Riaz, N. Rahman
Related Content
Claims (5)
Healthy adults should consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. People who do resistance training should aim for up to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
About 58% of adults in the U.S. aged 60 and older eat less protein than the minimum amount experts recommend to maintain muscle, with their average intake at 0.93 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, below the recommended 1.0 to 1.2 grams per kilogram.
Older adults in the U.S. who consume more protein are less likely to experience mobility limitations, and this link is stronger in data from 2015 to 2018 than in earlier years.
Older adults aged 60 and older who consume 1.0–1.1 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily have a lower predicted chance of developing mobility limitations compared to those who consume less, with the greatest benefit occurring just above this intake level.
Older adults in the U.S. who regularly consume more dietary protein have lower levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in their blood compared to those who consume less protein.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.