Health and social factors affecting the food choice and nutritional intakeof elderly people with restricted mobility

Background: Little is known about the magnitude of social and health factor s which affect the food choices and nutritional intake of elderly people wi th restricted mobility. Design: Semistructured taped interviews were used to capture expressions us ed in the identification of health and social factors which affect food cho ices and nutritional intake of 13 female subjects and three male subjects l iving in the community with restricted mobility. Twenty-four-hour recall as sessment was used to establish their dietary intake and meal patterns. Results: There was an inadequate intake of fluid, fruit and vegetables and nonstarch polysaccharide by the subjects. In addition, there was an infrequ ent consumption of cooked meals. Health and social factors which affect the food choices and nutritional intake of older people were identified as bei ng inadequate money, inadequate food storage facilities, physical disabilit ies affecting food preparation, poor access to shops, difficulties in under taking the shopping, type of cooking facilities, loneliness and bereavement . Conclusion: Elderly people living in the community with restricted mobility may be unable to consume an optimum nutritional intake due to the health a nd social factors identified which affect their food choices and nutritiona l intake.