Dietary Intakes of Energy and Water-Soluble Vitamins in Different Categories of Aging

• Published in: The journals of gerontology. Series A, Biological sciences and medical sciences Vol. 51A; no. 1; pp. B100 - B107
• Main Authors: van der Wielen, Reggy P. J., de Wild, Gerard M., de Groot, Lisette C. P. G. M., Hoefnagels, Willibrord H. L., van Staveren, Wija A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States The Gerontological Society of America 01-01-1996; Gerontological Society of America; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Afdeling Humane voeding; Aged - physiology; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Anthropometry; Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Demography; Diet; Energy Metabolism; Female; Food; Health Status; Human Nutrition; Human Nutrition & Health; Human Nutrition (HNE); Humane Voeding; Humane Voeding & Gezondheid; Humans; Life Style; Male; Nursing Homes; Older people; Physical Exertion; Pyridoxine - administration & dosage; Riboflavin - administration & dosage; Thiamine - administration & dosage; Vitamins; VLAG
• ISSN: 1079-5006; 1758-535X
• DOI: 10.1093/gerona/51A.1.B100

The dietary intakes of energy and the vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, B6, and C were assessed in four groups of elderly people, using the same modified dietary history method. The groups consisted of female nursing home residents (n = 40), people at admission to a nursing home (n = 21), free-living elderly people with a sedentary life style (n = 120), and physically active free-living elderly people (n = 66). Mean energy intake varied from 6.5 ± 1.2 Megajoule (MJ)/day (nursing home residents) to 8.8 ± 2.2 MJ/day (physically very active persons) in females and from 8.8 ± 2.5 MJ/day (admission to nursing home) to 10.1 ± 2.3 MJ/day (physically very active persons) in males. Dietary intakes of the selected vitamins were below the minimum requirements in almost half of the nursing home residents. However, the relative contribution of the various food groups to the dietary intake of these vitamins was similar in the four groups of elderly people. Stimulation of physical activity to increase energy requirements and use of foods with a high nutrient density may result in an improvement of dietary adequacy.