title: Food and nutrient intake of Irish community-dwelling elderly subjects: who is at nutritional risk?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the dietary intakes of Irish community-dwelling elderly individuals, participating in the ELDERMET project.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cork city and county region of southern Ireland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and eight (94 males, 114 females) community-dwelling subjects aged 64-93 yrs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dietary intake was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Anthropometric data were recorded. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A high rate of overweight/obesity was observed in this population group. Consumption of energy-dense, low-nutrient foods was excessive among this population group. Older elderly subjects (≥75 yrs) consumed significantly (P<0.01) more desserts/sweets than younger elderly (64-74 yrs). Intakes of dietary fat and saturated fat were high while dairy food consumption was inadequate in both males and females. Elderly females typically had a more nutrient-dense diet than males. A considerable proportion of subjects, particularly males, had inadequate intakes of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, folate, zinc and vitamin C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data indicate that the diet of Irish community-dwelling elderly individuals is sub-optimal with respect to nutrient intake, and excessive in terms of fat intake, with implications for the health status of this population group. Reductions in dietary fat and increased low fat dairy food intakes are recommended for the prevention of diet-related disease in older persons. In addition, strategies to improve a number of sub-optimal micronutrient intakes need to be developed and implemented, particularly among elderly males.
authors.affiliation: JProf. Gerald F. Fitzgerald, University College Cork, Ireland, tel. +353 21 4902730, fax +353 21 4903101, email g.fitzgerald@ucc.ie.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Jeffery
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: O'Toole
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003611:Dairy Products; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D014815:Vitamins