title: Descriptive data on lifestyle, anthropometric status and mental health in italian elderly people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this paper is to provide descriptive information on anthropometric status, pathological conditions, cognitive impairment and lifestyle in apparently healthy elderly Italian people.
  
  
  METHODS
  In order to recruit the volunteers for the ZENITH study, 359 Italian participants (167 men and 192 women), aged between 70 and 85 years, free living in Rome, were selected. Volunteers underwent a full clinical examination, anthropometric measurements (height, weight), a lifestyle questionnaire and mental health assessment (cognitive impairment and depression).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high (57% and 22% in men; 43% and 27% in women). Obesity was associated with low socio-economic profile in about 40% of participants. Although the sample was selected by family doctors and was apparently healthy, after medical screening the presence of several pathologies, particularly diabetes in 21% of participants was observed. There was a low prevalence of cognitive impairment in 4% of men and 7% of women and possible depression in 9% of men and 19% of women. The lifestyle questionnaire showed that most of their time was spent in light activities such as reading, watching TV or playing cards and significant differences between sex and BMI categories were observed (P=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results confirm the increasingly sedentary lifestyle of modern populations and demonstrate the need for sensitive and individualised strategies to design appropriate health promotion and disease prevention programs for older adults.
authors: National Institute for Research on Food and Nutrition, Human Nutrition Unit, Rome, Italy. polito@inran.it
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Intorre
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Maiani
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Cuzzolaro
authors: E E A
authors: EE
authors: Simpson
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Catasta
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Ciarapica
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Mauro
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Toti
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Zaccaria
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Coudray
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Corelli
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Palomba
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Polito
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors