Marjolein Visser

At a glance

• Marjolein Visser is a Dutch professor of healthy ageing at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Department of Health Sciences).
• She studies how diet, body composition and physical activity relate to muscle mass, strength and independence in later life.
• She works with data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), which has followed middle-aged and older Dutch people for many years.
• Protein is a key theme in her work: many older people eat too little protein, especially at breakfast and lunch, and low intake is linked to greater loss of mobility.
• She coordinated the European PROMISS project on protein and malnutrition in community-dwelling older adults, and is a valued source for media and policymakers.
• For longevity, her work offers concrete, realistic nutrition advice to maintain muscle strength and independence.
• Takeaway: spread your protein across the day, including a protein-rich breakfast and lunch, for example with dairy, eggs or legumes.