Nutritional status of the elderly in Naples

Abstract

Nutritional status (anthropometry, food habits, thiamin and riboflavin status) has been evaluated in 136 (70 males and 66 females) free living healthy elderly individuals (age range 65-69 yrs) from the district of San Carlo Arena that can be considered representative of the sociocultural and economic level of the city of Naples. By assuming as reference values those of middle aged individuals, 50 percent of elderly men and 85 percent of elderly women showed different degree of excess body fat. As far as food habits are concerned legumes, vegetables and fruit daily intake was quite high whilst alcohol consumption was low. Furthermore milk and eggs intake was low and infrequent. Although prevalence of excess body weight was high, total daily energy intake was found to be equal or slightly above dietary recommendations for the elderly. Diet composition showed a high protein intake whilst CHO and fat intake was slightly below recommendations. Micronutrients' intake was insufficient for calcium in 10 percent of both males and females and for iron in 20 percent of men and 40 percent of women. Niacin intake was low in about 50 percent of both men and women. Thiamin nutritional status was found low in 20 percent of men and women and riboflavin status in 40 percent of men and 20 percent of women. In conclusion obesity and overweight are very frequent in an urbanized sample of free living healthy elderly individuals of Naples. On the other hand serum calcium and iron and some vitamin deficiency is not uncommon. The composition of the diet seems to be also poor in some micronutrients.