A Nutrition Profile of Rural, Community-based Elderly

Abstract

Much of the research on the nutritional status of the elderly is based on the institutionalized elderly. This data collection was part of a longitudinal study on community-based elderly in rural America. Participants in the study [n=82] agreed to be interviewed in their own home. A two day training for health care professionals and students presented interview strategies on food selection, by type, serving size, and method of preparation. Accuracy of the information was stressed. Teams of two were scheduled for home visits to obtain a three day dietary intake for each participant in the study. Eighty-two usable sets of data were collected, coded and analyzed. This data set included 60 females and 22 males with a mean age of 78.96 years. The mean body mass index for this sample was 26.94±7.21 indicating a higher weight for height ratio than recommended for a general population. The average caloric intake was 1434 calories, with 51.54 grams of protein, representing 14.38% of the calories. Thirty-five [42.7%] of the dietaries were below one gram of dietary fiber per JOG calories. Nutrient intakes were compared to a two-thirds value of the RDA for the 51+ age group for males and females. Using this standard, The three day diaries were deficient for Vitamin A [43.9%] and pyridoxine [35.4%]. Calcium [48.8%] and magnesium [50%] were deficient in approximately one-half of the dietaries. Zinc was the trace mineral deficient in 64.6% of the dietaries. Slightly more than half [n=44, 53.7%] of the elderly indicated that they perceived their health status as good and nearly two-thirds [n=54, 65.9%] were able to prepare their own meals. Participants received a letter informing them of the results of the nutrient analysis. Additional research is needed to define the nutrition profile of rural, community-based elderly. This information may be useful during the revision of the recommended daily allowances. With the mean age of our population continuing to increase, perhaps we can define additional age groups for the current age group of 51+.