Dietary assessment in the elderly: Application of a two-step semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire for epidemiological studies
article
Objective: Description and application of an adapted semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) for dietary assessment in the elderly population of the Rotterdam Study. Design: Dietary assessment consisting of a two-step approach was performed in 5434 participants (2225 men, 3029 women) of the Rotterdam Study from 1990 to 1993, a population-based prospective cohort of 7983 subjects aged 55-95 years (participation rate 78%). Statistical analysis: Nutrient intake was calculated for men and women in four age groups (55-64 years, 65-74 years, 75-84 years, 85-95 years) and linear trend analysis for differences in mean nutrient intake across age groups (55-64 gears 65-74 years, 75-95 years) by regression analysis was conducted. The influence of baseline characteristics on energy and nutrient intakes adjusted by age and sex was investigated by one-way-analysis of variance. Results: The adapted SFFQ made it possible to measure nutrient intake in the elderly within a limited time frame (2 x 20 min) across a wide age range (55-95 years). For nutrient intake we observed a general decline in mean intake of energy and most nutrients with age in men. In women the relation with age was not consistent: for most nutrients mean intake showed a decrease with age (e.g. water, magnesium, potassium), for some an increase (e.g. total fat, saturated fat, mono/disaccharides), and some nutrients showed no substantial change (e.g. calcium, retinol). Reported nutrient intake was influenced by body mass index, smoking status, socioeconomic status and activities of daily living. A prescribed diet was reported by 12.9% of participants and 34.6% used supplements on a regular basis. Conclusions: The described two-step approach for dietary assessment in the elderly facilitated collection of data on dietary habits across a wide age range and within a limited time frame making it a suitable instrument for application in large-scale epidemiological studies in the elderly.
Topics
Dietary assessmentElderlyFood frequency questionnaireNutrient intakeCalciumMagnesiumPotassiumRetinolSaturated fatty acidWaterAdultAgedBody massCaloric intakeCarbohydrate intakeCohort analysisDaily life activityDietDiet supplementationDietary intakeFat intakeFemaleHumanInformation processingMaleNetherlandsNormal humanQuestionnaireRegression analysisSex differenceSmokingSocial statusSugar intake
TNO Identifier
235214
ISSN
09523871
Source
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 12(5), pp. 361-373.
Pages
361-373
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