Dietary Changes Reported by a Random Sample of Elderly People

Abstract

A random sub-sample of 153 elderly people was followed up 18 months after a large-scale random dietary survey of adults aged 65 years and over residing in Adelaide, South Australia. The follow-up questionnaire examined self-reported dietary and weight change over the 18 month period since the original study. The same semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire as used in the initial survey was also repeated. Challenging the common stereotype of rigidity and resistance to change in elderly people, a high degree of dietary change was reported since the original study (67% of men and 68% of women reported a change in diet), particularly among the 65-69 year age group (78%). The most commonly reported changes were largely in accord with dietary guidelines. Commonly reported changes included less frequent intake of red meat, eggs, fried and fatty foods and more frequent intake of vegetables, chicken and fish, as well as changes towards use of polyunsaturated margarine, no longer eating the fat on meat and no longer presoaking vegetables in water before cooking. Of concern was a change in some subjects to a less frequent consumption of milk or other dairy products.

Research on food choice and nutritional status in elderly people: a review

“…This may be because single people have adapted to living alone whereas widowed and divorced people have had social isolation forced on them by a significant life event. The relative dietary intakes of married versus divorced people found here is supported by Lonergan et al [64], Fanelli and Brush[72] and Horwath[ 40]. Conversely Leichter et al [ 73] found poorer intakes in married people, Schafer and Keith[16,17 ] reported greater intakes in single than married women and Le Clerc and Thornbury[65] recorded the highest carbohydrate, calcium and calorific intakes among divorced elderly subjects.…”

“…Insomnia, headaches, anxiety, tension and fatigue are common and even fatal illnesses are higher among bereaved people than non‐bereaved of the same age and sex[37,38,39] The same studies concluded that a substantial minority of widows never fully recover their previous state of physical and mental health. This finding has a potential impact on diet as numerous studies have correlated depression, apathy, bereavement and isolation with general undernutrition and avitaminosis[ 40,41,42 ,43,44].…”

“…While these shops offer low prices, they only tend to stock a limited range of goods (usually around 750 items) and may not sell fresh fruit and vegetables at all[112]. Lack of transport and shopping difficulties have been correlated with poor dietary intakes by Rawson et al [91], Davies[ 44] and Horwath[40 ]. In the UK, as the trends for out of town shopping developments and cuts in rural transport services continue, these aspects of access to food can only take on greater significance.…”

Comparison of an Australian food-frequency questionnaire with diet records: implications for nutrition surveillance

“…Slightly modified versions of this questionnaire have been used to examine the influence of diet on the risk of stroke and coronary heart disease 6 , asthma in children 7 , pancreatic cancer 8 , colorectal cancer 9 -11 and breast cancer 12 . Modified versions have also been used to assess the achievement of Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) in children 13 , adults 13 -15 and the elderly 16 -18 , the contribution of nutrients and energy in the diets of children 19 , adults 20,21 and diabetics 22,23 , and to monitor dietary changes as indicators of the effectiveness of health promotion programmes 24,25 . We examined the 'Questan' version with 172 items, which was administered in a statewide survey of the state of Victoria in 1985 21 and has been used in a national postal survey every 5 years since 1988 to assess usual food and nutrient intakes 26 .…”