Nutritional Requirements in the Elderly Flashcards
cross-sectional studies that examine dietary intake and ageing
CCHS and NHANES
* Can’t separate cohort differences in food preferences from physiological changes due to aging
* Higher non-response rates in higher ages
* Selective mortality – people with particular dietary habits (may) die earlier
* Food habits determined by many factors
longitudinal studies that examine dietary intake and ageing
SENECA (Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the
Elderly: a Concerted Action) & EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition)
* data collection methods can change slightly
* changes in food supply or public perception about a desirable diet
* survivorship and/or cognitive abilities of participants
* representativeness of cohort may limit ability to generalize
Diet quality of adults based on EWCFG
it essentially stays constantly bad
* under 70 score
ultra processed food intake throughout life
slight decrease into adulthood but still not great
% Below Minimum Number of Servings of Vegetables and Fruit
- 51-70 this decreases
- > 70 gets worse overall
% Below Minimum Number of Servings of Grains
Increases with age
% Below Minimum Number of Servings of Milk and Alternatives
increases with age
* older adults this is really high
Amount of Meat and Alternatives (grams per day)
decreases with age
Summary of food intake from cross sectional studies
overall energy intake appears to decrease with increasing age with decreased food group consumption
* greater amount of females below the minimum
dietary fibre intake across age groups
g/1000 increases
Energy intake from longitudinal study in USA
7 day food record every 10 days in the same group
* total kcal/d decreased over time
* kcal/kg BW decreased over time
SENECA longitudinal study
Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly: a Concerted Action → Nutritional issues, lifestyle factors, health, performance
* Baseline: 1988, n=1273 (chosen 2586)
* Follow-up: 1993
* Final: 1999, n=843
SENECA results
Body Weight: Baseline (most overweight but high variation) to follow-up
* Men: average decline = 0.1 kg
* Women: average decline = 0.6 kg
Nutritional Intake: Baseline to follow-up
* A reduction in total energy intake over time (lower requirements, no BMI change)
* Intakes of micronutrients also declined
EPIC elderly longitudinal Studies
European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition → Examined role of diet in cancer and other chronic diseases
* 60 and older at recruitment (n=100,059)
* Dietary intake history, anthropometrics, lifestyle, medical conditions
EPIC-Elderly - Eating Patterns
- more southern Europe eats more vegetable oils, fruits, pasta, rice and other grains, vegetables, legumes (better diets)
- more norther Europe eats more potatoes, dairy, margerine, bread meat eggs
% Deaths in EPIC by Tertile of Plant-based Food Intake
- UK had most % of deaths = most not eating plant based diet
- Greece, Italy and Spain had the lowest % of deaths and no 1st tertile = high plant based diet
Summary from Longitudinal Studies
Tendency for a reduced total energy intake
* Could jeopardize the supply of micronutrients
* Does not seem problematic for weight maintenance (changes in body composition)
Dietary intake patterns in elderly can impact life expectancy
goal of macronutrients and elderly
maintain healthy body weight and preserve appropriate body composition
EER for elderly
DRI for older individuals derived from adult men and women of 30 years
How could we determine whether energy intake requirements are being met or exceeded in older individuals?
Weight them - should be stable
Average Energy Intake by Age Group (NHANES II)
both males and females decrease but males moreso
Obesity Rates 1978/79 vs. 2004
Obesity is much more prevalent
Macronutrient Recommendations for older adults
Why does fibre and essential fatty acids decrease?
Taking in less overall kcal