Protein-rich diet reduces other age-related risks

Penn State University student and Nodaway Valley alum Paisley Kintigh gave a presentation Friday morning at the Adair County Health and Fitness Center about the importance of aging adults including a healthy amount of protein in their diet. Doing so can help reduce the risk of sarcopenia, which is an age-related loss of muscle mass.

The daughter of Nick and Bethany of Greenfield, Kintigh graduated from Nodaway Valley in 2020. She earned a bachelors degree in health and exercise science from Simpson College in 2024. All dietitians now are required to have a masters degree, so Kintigh selected Penn State because its program is exclusively online. This presentation was her capstone project for her nutritional sciences program.

“I wanted to help people in Iowa. I’ve had internships at places like Des Moines Public Schools and Cass County in the hospital,” Kintigh said. “I do really think that it’s really special that I get to go to Penn State but still live in Iowa and work with Iowans.”

It was through her own experiences that Kintigh chose to go into dietetics and exercise science. She had five unsuccessful hip surgeries in high school which left her wondering what would actually work for her to remain physically active at a young age.

“I found diet and exercise were what really made me feel good, feel like I was strong again and feel like I was getting back to myself,” Kintigh said. “I went into this whole career path because I want other people to feel that way too.”

At 23, Kintigh is not an older adult, however some of her joint challenges are similar to those of older adults.

“I understand the fear of aging and asking how is my body going to feel,” Kintigh said. “I do really think that as a healthcare field, we need to switch our mindset into preventing issues rather than reacting to issues. If we start preventing things, we can really change the landscape.”

During her presentation, Kintigh said high protein intake is protective against weight loss, prevents loss of lean body mass and can limit or eliminate the risk of developing sarcopenia. Individuals with frailty, which can lead to falls and fractures, have lower protein intakes.

The current recommended level of protein for adults is 0.8 grams per a person’s weight in kilograms, which Kintigh said actually isn’t enough for older adults. A better recommendation is 1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram, as older adults generally have higher protein needs. One kilogram equals 2.2 pounds, so a person that weighs 150 pounds is 68 kilograms. Excellent sources of protein include food products from animals, such as meats, cheeses and eggs.

Sarcopenia increases the risk of secondary diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It also increases the risk of morbidity and mortality.

Kintigh will be an adjunct professor this spring for two courses at Simpson College but long-term, she wants to go into opening her own private practice because of how much she enjoys the 1-on-1 aspect of working individually with clients.

“I really believe we’re all so different that it needs to be individualized,” she said.

“I think it’s very rewarding and very fulfilling. I do deeply care about impacting the lives of the people in my community,” Kintigh said. “I workout here every single morning with this age population. I enjoy talking to them and do directly want to impact them.”