title: Diet and overall survival in a cohort of very elderly people.
abstract: We conducted a 5-year cohort study among 162 self-sufficient residents in a public home for the elderly in Rome, Italy, to evaluate the association between the consumption of specific food groups and nutrients and overall 5-year survival. We used a validated, semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire to assess diet at baseline. Individuals consuming citrus fruit at least twice a week had an adjusted risk of dying that was half that of individuals who consumed citrus fruit less than once a week [relative risk (RR) = 0.52; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.28-0.95] (with adjustment for gender, age, education, body mass index, smoking status, cognitive function, and chronic diseases). The adjusted RRs of mortality were 0.38 (95% CI = 0.14-1.01) for consumption of milk and yogurt at least three times a week vs less than once a week; 0.21 (95% CI = 0.08-0.35) for moderate consumption of espresso coffee (1-2 cups weekly) vs less than once a week; and 0.35 (95% CI = 0.17-0.69) for > 2 cups a week of espresso coffee vs less than once a week. High levels of intake of ascorbic acid, riboflavin, and linoleic acid were associated with 50-60% decreases in mortality risk. High consumption of meat was associated with a higher risk of mortality (RR = 9.72; 95% CI = 2.68-35.1) among subjects with chronic diseases. Our findings indicate that frequent consumption of citrus fruit, milk, and yogurt; low consumption of meat; and high intake of vitamin C, riboflavin, and linoleic acid are associated with longevity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Authority, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fortes
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forastiere
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farchi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rapiti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pastori
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Perucci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats