Nutrition goals for older adults: a review

Dietary Intake of Adults Who Participate in CrossFit® Exercise Regimens

Background: The combination of high-intensity aerobic and high-load resistance training, as in CrossFit®, exerts similar or superior benefits to other exercise modalities. This study aimed to assess dietary habits and characterize the nutritional goals, exercise habits, and clinical health outcomes of individuals who participate in CrossFit®. Methods: Adults who are 19 y or older, with >6 mo of CrossFit® participation, completed an electronic survey and the dietary health questionnaire III. In separate models, multiple stepwise linear regressions were performed to detect the associations between (i) dietary intake, (ii) exercise habits, (iii) clinical measures, and a priori selected predictors (sex, weight status, age, and exercise frequency) in each case. Odds ratios were detected between nutritional and fitness goals, clinical outcomes, and predictors. Results: In total, 449 respondents completed both questionnaires. Of these, 443 respondents were used for relative macronutrients assessment due to not reporting body weight. Dietary intake was associated with sex, weight status, age, exercise frequency, and nutritional goals. Nutritional and fitness goals and clinical outcomes were associated with sex, weight status, age, and exercise frequency. Conclusion: Nutritional goals are underlying factors that affect eating behaviors in non-competitive CrossFit® participants. It is imperative to consider the sex, age, exercise habits, and nutritional goals of CrossFit® participants when investigating and prescribing dietary outcomes.

Impact on the physical and sensory properties of salt-and fat-reduced traditional Irish breakfast sausages on various age cohorts acceptance

The properties of varying salt and fat levels in traditional breakfast sausages were investigated. Sausages were produced with fat levels of: 30%, 20% and 15%. Fat was replaced with pea extract. Salt levels employed were: 2.5%, 1.1% and 0.0%. A reduced sodium salt which contains 45% less sodium than standard salt was used. Sensory analysis was conducted on consumers (n = 228): 18-40 yrs., 41-64 yrs. and 65-85 yrs. The 18-40 yr. olds preferred sausages containing 20% fat, 41-64 yr. olds preferred sausages with 15% fat, 65+ age group preferred sausages containing 30% fat. The 18-40 yr. olds preferred high salt samples, 41-64 yr. olds displayed no salt preference, while the 65+ age group preferred high salt sausages. Sausage formulation choice was found to be driven by texture for the younger age cohort, flavour for the middle age cohort and visual aspects from the oldest age cohort. There is a need to understand how meat products might be reformulated different age palates.

Change in Protein Intake in Elderly French People Living at Home After a Nutritional Information Program Targeting Protein Consumption

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of a nutrition information program targeting protein consumption in elderly people.

DESIGN AND INTERVENTION

Participants individually completed a questionnaire on food consumption and answered an attitude questionnaire (first survey period). Half of the participants (message group) participated in an information program targeting protein consumption, whereas the other half (control group) were not given any information. Two weeks after the program, both groups participated in the same surveys again (second survey period).

SUBJECTS

Eighty-two healthy subjects (65 to 75 years old) living at home participated in this study.

STATISTICAL ANALYSES

A two-way multivariate analysis of variance, paired t tests, and chi2 tests were performed to determine the influence of group (control versus message) and gender on the differences in protein consumption and in attitudes between the first and second survey periods.

RESULTS

In the second survey period, the control group participants decreased their protein intake by an average of 0.049 g/lb/day, mainly by a reduction in meat product consumption. Conversely, the message group participants increased their protein intake by 0.041 g/lb/day, with a greater increase for the women (0.059) than the men (0.023 g/lb/day). After the nutrition information program, knowledge, perceived control on health, and belief that sensory perception decreased with age were higher among the message group participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Nutrition knowledge and protein intake increased significantly among the message group participants. Thus, it is possible to change dietary practice and knowledge in elderly individuals by information targeting one nutrition message.

Changes in eating behavior during the aging process

The changing demographics of the world population necessitate a review of normative eating behavior in order to better differentiate eating pathologies from age-associated changes. This review examines the psychological, social, and physiological changes in aging as they affect eating behavior. Neurochemical and neurophysiological bases of appetite, psychobehavioral models of eating, and concomitant variables of depression, bereavement, and social interactions are examined. As many sensory systems decline with aging, these declines influence food choice and acceptability and may manifest conditions such as geriatric anorexia. Special circumstances of centenarians are discussed to provide further insights into pathological, normative, and superlative aging.

Changing dietary patterns with changing dentition: how do people cope?

Food plays a significant and essential role in the survival of all people. There has been a suggestion that there is a strong association between changes in dental status such as loss of teeth and denture wearing and low intake of essential nutrients. This paper explores the relationship between diet and nutrition and a change from (A) an old complete denture to an implant-supported denture, from (B) the dentate status to an immediate complete denture, and from (C) an old complete denture to a functionally corrected new complete denture. A summary of the findings is that loss of teeth influences masticatory efficiency and function and that a replacement prosthesis may improve function but does not significantly change dietary intake.

Marketing nutrition services for the elderly

The Older Americans Act of 1965 was implemented to provide assistance in the development of new or improved programs to help older persons through grants for the States. Community planning, and services for training, were established within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare under an agency designated as the Administration on Aging (Older Americans Act of 1965, p. 1). There has been an evolution of Community Nutrition services for the elderly. The original purpose was the establishment of community based congregate dining sites where seniors would come together for food and fellowship. The homebound seniors were recognized and home-delivered meal service was developed. This home delivered meal service has steadily increased as the participant population has changed with less family support and is becoming older and frailer while congregate participation has decreased. The challenge to marketers is to continue to bring together the need for nutritional assistance in the elderly population and nutritional programs to satisfy that need. The authors have conducted a nutrition service program study that can benefit the industry that serves this segment of the population. This study observes trends and behaviors and can assist the development of new products and services for the aging.

Frailty and Mortality Among the Elderly

Society's image offrailty in old age may be characterized as one of a poor, wizened, old woman, wasting away from neglect until her heart finally stops. This article seeks to develop a more scientific profile of the "frail" elderly by examining mortality records of those deaths listed under International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision code, E-904, distinguishing deaths due to neglect, lack offood or water, exposure, and privation, for the period from 1979 to 1985. Approximately 200 deaths for people over 60 years old were listed under this code annually. An analysis of the demographic and locational characteristics of these decedents yielded two distinct profiles. Hunger decedents were older, White, and female, fitting the frail elderly stereotype. Exposure decedents were younger, male, and more likely to be nonmetropolitan or minority elderly. Strategies to reach these two groups are discussed.

Nutrition and function: is there a relationship between body mass index and the functional capabilities of community-dwelling elderly?

OBJECTIVE

To determine if there is a relationship between body mass index and the ability to perform the usual activities of living in a sample of community-dwelling elderly.

DESIGN

Secondary data analysis of The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (1982-1984). Follow-up home interview of a population-based sample originally interviewed between 1971 and 1975 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey-I (NHANES-I).

PARTICIPANTS

Survivors of the original NHANES-I cohort who were 65 years of age or older and who were living at home at the time of the second interview (n = 3061). Excluded were those who could not be found, refused participation, or were institutionalized (n = 220), and those without complete height and weight data (n = 194).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Functional status as measured by a 26-item battery.

RESULTS

Bivariate analysis revealed a greater risk for functional impairment for subjects with a low body mass index or a high body mass index. The greater the extreme of body mass index (either higher or lower), the greater the risk for functional impairment. Logistic regression analysis indicated that both high and low body mass index continued to be significantly related to functional status when 22 other potential confounders were included in the model.

CONCLUSION

The body mass index is related to the functional capabilities of community-dwelling elderly. The inclusion of this simple measurement in the comprehensive assessment of community-dwelling elderly is supported.