Cpgm. Degroot et al., LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN THE INTAKE OF ENERGY AND MACRONUTRIENTS OF ELDERLY EUROPEANS, European journal of clinical nutrition, 50, 1996, pp. 67-76
Objective: To assess longitudinal changes in intakes of energy and mac
ronutrients in elderly Europeans. Design: Longitudinal study including
a dietary assessment in 1988/1989, which was repeated in 1993. Settin
g: Serial data were collected in nine European towns: Belgium: Hamme (
H/B); Denmark: Roskilde (R/DK); France: Haguenau (H/F) and Romans (R/F
); Italy: Padua (P/I); the Netherlands: Culemborg (C/NL); Portugal: Vi
la Franca de Xira (V/P); Spain: Betanzos (B/E) and Switzerland: Yverdo
n (Y/CH). In other centres dietary intake data were collected in 1993
only: Portugal: Coimbra (C/P); Poland: Marki (M/PL); Northern Ireland:
Ballymoney-Limavady-Portstewart (BLP/NI/UK) and United States: Mansfi
eld (Connecticut) (M/CT/USA). Subjects and methods: Using standardized
methodologies, data were collected from a random stratified sample of
elderly men and women born between 1913 and 1918. In 1993 dietary int
ake data were collected from 1125 subjects by a modified validated die
tary history method. Results: Over the 4-year study period, a decline
in mean energy intake of one MJ or less per day was observed in most t
owns, which was significant (P < 0.01) in only four of the towns. The
within- and between-centre variation of change was large. Overall, a s
light decline was reported for all macronutrients and with the excepti
on of protein, large within and between centre variations were observe
d in both men and women. Conclusion: Intake of energy and macronutrien
ts was found to decline with age. This may be of special concern for s
mall eaters.