title: Food habits and nutritional status of elderly people living in a Spanish Mediterranean city.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to assess the food habits and nutritional status of free-living, non-institutionalised, elderly people of Torrevieja, a Spanish city located in the Mediterranean coast.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric and dietary survey (two 24 hour recalls) were assessed in 200 (83 men and 117 women) free-living elderly people (average age 72.3±6.6 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Just married women accomplished the recommended energy intake. The contribution of macronutrients to the total energy intake was different from the Recommended Intake for the elderly, since it was too derived from proteins, fats, SFA and sugars, but in only small amounts was derived from complex carbohydrates. High percentages of elderly persons showed inadequate intake of calcium, zinc, magnesium, potassium, copper, iodine, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and riboflavin. Men showed lower micronutrient intake than women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase in dietary complex carbohydrate, and a decrease in protein and fats, especially SFA, is recommended. It would be desirable to increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole cereals, fish and skimmed dairy products.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Elche, Alicante, Spain.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Martínez Tomé
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: A Ma
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mariscal
authors.forename: Ma A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Murcia
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-Diz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged / Q000502:physiology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires