title: Age and disability affect dietary intake.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to provide information on dietary intake in the InCHIANTI study population, a representative sample (n = 1453) of persons living in two towns of Tuscany (Italy), including a large number of old and very old individuals (79.5% >65 y old). We also investigated whether difficulties in nutrition-related activities were associated with inadequate intake of selected nutrients. The percentage of persons with an inadequate intake of nutrients according to Italian Recommended Nutrients Levels (LARN) was higher in the older age groups. Older persons tended to adapt their diets in response to individual functional difficulties, often leading to monotonous food consumption and, as a consequence, to inadequate nutrient intakes. Multiple logistic models were used to evaluate whether inadequate intake of selected nutrients could be predicted by nutrition-related difficulties. Reporting difficulties in three or more nutrition-related activities (chewing, self-feeding, shopping for basic necessities, carrying a shopping bag, cooking a warm meal, using fingers to grasp or handle) significantly increased the risk of inadequate intake of energy [odds ratio (OR) = 3.8, 95% CI = 1.9-7.8) and vitamin C (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.2-4.2, after adjustment for energy intake). More attention to functional problems in the elderly population and the provision of formal or informal help to those who have difficulty in purchasing, processing and eating food may reduce, at least in part, the percentage of older persons with poor nutrition.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Clinical Epidemiology, Geriatric Department, National Institute of Research and Care on Aging (INRCA), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bartali
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvini
authors.forename: Aida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turrini
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lauretani
authors.forename: Cosimo R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Corsi
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bandinelli
authors.forename: Amleto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Amicis
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palli
authors.forename: Jack M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Guralnik
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D003296:Cooking; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena