title: Sexually dimorphic patterns of nutritional intake and eating behaviors in community-dwelling older adults with normal and slow gait speed.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assess sex-specific nutritional intake and dietary habits of independently living older adults with normal and slow gait speeds.
  
  
  METHODS
  New Mexico Aging Process Study, cross-sectional, secondary data analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Albuquerque, New Mexico USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-hundred fifteen adults 60 years and older (194 women and 121 men).
  
  
  METHODS
  Gait speed test, 3-day diet records, Mini-Mental State Examination, and body mass index.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Slow gait speed was associated with lower total calories (-154 kcal/day) and zinc (1 mg/day) (.05 < p < .1). Slower men consumed less protein (-4.1 g/day), calcium (-140 mg), fiber (-2.8 g/day) and iron (-2.5 mg/day) (p≤.05). Slower women consumed less, protein (-5.5 g/day), carbohydrate (-19.1 g/day), fiber (-2.7 gm/day), vitamin C (-18.4 mg/day) and higher fat intake (p=0.03). Slower women snacked less, had trouble chewing/biting, and lived alone (p= .04). Slower men were less likely to snack.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found sex-specific nutritional differences associated with gait speed. Those presenting with slow gait speed may need encouragement to increase meat and whole grain breads/cereal. Those with trouble eating should be advised on adapting diet to maintain adequate nutrition and encouraged on regular snacking to achieve higher nutrient intake. Prospective and randomized controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings and provide further evidence for putting these suggestions into practice.
authors.affiliation: Debra L. Waters, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, New Mexico VA Health Care System, Section of Geriatrics, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108, University of Otago, Dunedin School of Medicine, Dunedin, New Zealand 9054, debra.waters@va.gov or debra.waters@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wayne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrieu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cesari
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Villareal
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garry
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vellas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication; D009516:New Mexico; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors; D062410:Snacks
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid