VARIATION IN FOOD GROUP AND NUTRIENT INTAKE WITH DAY OF THE WEEK IN AN ELDERLY POPULATION

The present paper is an analysis of 138 5- or 7-d diet diaries collect ed from a free-living population of people aged 68-90 years in Norwich . Men had higher intakes than women of energy and most nutrients, but patterns of variation across the week were similar for both sexes. Int akes of meat, meat products, fish and vegetables varied across the wee k both in frequency and amount eaten, but the other main food groups s howed no significant variation. Alcohol was taken more frequently at w eekends but the amount did not vary significantly. Intakes of energy, protein and many micronutrients varied significantly with day of the w eek,,vith increased intake at weekends, especially of vegetable-derive d micronutrients on Sundays, and generally decreased intake on Mondays and Fridays. Nutrient densities of carotene, retinol equivalents, fol ate, vitamin C, pantothenate and Zn were all highest on Sundays, provi ding further evidence of variation of diet quality on different days o f the week.