Nutrition and serum cholesterol levels among elderly men and women (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System)

Fermentation of resistant rice starch produces propionate reducing serum and hepatic cholesterol in rats

This study was designed to investigate the effects of different proportions of rice starch and cornstarch on lipid metabolism in rats fed high dietary cholesterol. Male Wistar rats were fed a 10 g/100 g fat diet containing 1 g/100 g cholesterol with 0 (control diet), 15, 30, 45 or 63 g/100 g rice starch with an enzyme resistant starch concentration of 1.26, 1.39, 1.52, 1.65 or 1.80 g/100 g, respectively, for 4 wk. Groups fed diets with < 63 g/100 g rice starch were supplemented with cornstarch to 63 g/100 g. The two kinds of starch had different structures as seen using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The rice starch was an aggregation (n = 20-60) of smaller granules (3-8 microm in diameter), whereas the cornstarch was composed of larger (5-15 microm in diameter), single granules. The compound rice starch (0.99 kg/L) was larger in size and denser in structure than cornstarch (0.63 kg/L). Serum total cholesterol concentrations in rats fed both the 45 and 63 g/100 g rice starch diets were significantly lower than in all other groups (P < 0.05). The serum propionate concentration in the rats fed 63 g/100 g rice starch diets was significantly higher than that of other groups. Hepatic triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations in rats fed 63 g/100 g rice starch diets were significantly lower than in the control group. These results suggest that, because the compound rice starch was an aggregation of smaller granules, larger in size and denser in structure than cornstarch, it was digested more slowly and altered lipid metabolism. Resistant rice starch may be fermented to produce propionate, which reduces serum and hepatic cholesterol.

Eating patterns of community-dwelling older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study

We analyzed eating patterns of 4643 adults (1988 men and 2655 women) aged 65 years and older at the time of their enrollment in the Cardiovascular Health Study. Diet was assessed with a qualitative, picture-sort food frequency questionnaire along with supplemental questions on other eating pattern variables. Consumption of high fat foods and low fiber foods was more frequent in older participants, men, minorities, and persons with body mass index > or = 30 kg/m2 and less common among persons who reported following self-prescribed or medically prescribed special diets. Few associations of consumption of specific food groups with disease status were identified. Participants with coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease were significantly more likely to report following a special diet and using low-calorie or low-sodium food products, however. Although the percentage of participants with prevalent disease who reported following special diets was relatively low from a clinical perspective, it was sufficiently high to suggest that controlling for dietary modifications may be important when attempting to identify associations of diet with prevalent disease in older populations.

Institutionalized elderly women have lower food intake than do those living more independently (Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System)

The habitual intake of energy and nutrients (assessed through dietary history) among elderly women (aged 65 and over) living in a nursing home (n = 54), elderly women living in service flats and receiving their dinners from the nursing home kitchen (n = 29), and elderly women living independently (n = 52) was evaluated within the framework of the Dutch Nutrition Surveillance System. Intake of energy and nutrients was lowest among women in the nursing home and highest among those living independently. Almost all differences in absolute intake found were significant, both unadjusted and adjusted for age. In the nursing home the intake of energy and nutrients was lower at higher age. In qualitative terms the differences among the groups of women were less striking. Mean daily intakes of iron, vitamin A, thiamin, vitamin B6 and vitamin C were below the Dutch recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) among the nursing home women. Several interrelationships among nutrient intakes were found, low intake levels clustering somewhat among elderly subjects. Our data indicate that these nutritional risks are due to a lower food intake resulting in a lower intake of energy and nutrients, and owing to differences in food choice resulting in a lower nutrient density. We conclude that it is difficult to design a diet containing all essential nutrients at the RDA level in a nursing home with residents who have a relatively low intake of energy, especially among those at higher age.