J Korean Diet Assoc.  2024 Feb;30(1):41-60. 10.14373/JKDA.2024.30.1.41.

Survey of the Food Preferences and Nutrient Intakes of Elderly People Hospitalized in a Nursing Hospital in Daegu

• Park JY
• Kim E

• KMID: 2553722
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14373/JKDA.2024.30.1.41

Abstract

The number of elderly in care facilities is increasing in parallel with a rapid increase in the elderly population in Korea. We analyzed the meal satisfaction ratings, food preferences, and nutritional intakes of 74 patients aged ≥65 years living in a nursing hospital in Daegu. Food preferences were high for cooked rice, rice gruel, meat soup, soybean paste stew, beef, frozen pollack, squid, egg, spinach, sea mustard, cabbage kimchi, apple, peanut, drinking yogurt, pickled perilla leaves, and salted squid. Preferences for duck (P＜0.01) and vegetable (P＜0.01) cooking method were significantly different for men and women, and preference for soybean paste stew increased with age (P＜0.05). Regarding nutrient intakes, men had higher energy (P＜0.01), carbohydrates (P＜0.05), and zinc (P＜0.05) intakes than women, while women had higher vitamin C (P＜0.05) intake than men. Furthermore, energy (P＜0.001), carbohydrates (P＜0.001), protein (P＜0.05), dietary fiber (P＜0.01), vitamin B 6 (P＜0.01), phosphorus (P＜0.05), and zinc (P＜0.001) intakes significantly decreased with age. Men had a significantly higher nutrient adequacy ratios (NARs) for carbohydrates (P＜0.05) and calcium (P＜0.01) than women, while women had a significantly higher NARs for protein (P＜0.05), vitamin A (P＜0.01), vitamin C (P＜0.05), thiamine (P＜0.01), riboflavin (P＜0.001), iron (P＜0.001), and zinc (P＜0.01). Mean adequacy ratios were 0.69 for men and 0.75 for women. In particular, NARs for carbohydrates (P＜0.01), vitamin B₆ (P＜0.01), and calcium (P＜0.05) decreased significantly with age. In summary, the study shows that supplementing vitamin C, vitamin B 6, calcium, and iron, reducing sodium, and providing meals that reflect preferences will improve the nutritional statuses of elderly residents in a nursing hospital.

Keyword

nursing hospital; elderly; food preference; nutrient intake; nutrient adequacy ratio