A Study on Nutritional Intakes in Elderly People in Wando Area

Cha, Bok Kyeong

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate nutrients intakes and nutritional quality of Adults and Elderly People in an island area (Wando). A three-day dietary intakes survey, using a 24 hour recall method was obtained from 187 subjects aged 46 to 84 (mean age 65.3) living in an island area (Wando). Nutient intakes were analyzed using CAN-pro soft program and compared to Korean RDA. The quality of nutrients was assessed by analyzing nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR), mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and index of nutritional quality (INQ). The average daily mean energy intakes were 1869.0 kcal for males and 1943.9 kcal for females, respectively. Daily intakes of protein for males and females were 28.0 and 30.4 g and those of fat were 31.5 and 28.51 g, respectively. Nutrient consumed below 75% of Korean RDA was protein, vitamin A, Ca and Zn in both males and females. Average CPF ratio of males and females were 78.8 : 6.0 : 15.1 and 80.0 : 6.4 : 13.4, respectively. Energy intake ratio from protein was significantly higher in over 60 years males. Carbohydrate dependency decreased with age. Protein dependency increased with age. Nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) of energy, protein, vitamin A and vitamin E were increased with age in males. The mean adequacy ratio (MAR), an index of overall dietary quality, were not significantly different by age group. Average MAR for males and females was 0.77 and 0.78, respectively. The index of nutritional quality (INQ) showed the tendency to decrease with age. Especially, there were significantly decreases in INQ of all nutrients, except protein, with age. Based on these results, it is evident that people in the island area did not consume enough nutrients. Specially, dietary intake of protein, vitamin A, vitamin E, and Ca were not adequate.