SURVEY RESULTS OF 100 ELDERLY IN LOGROÑO

FEEDING IN THE ELDERLY

Interest: Demographic reasons

Spain and La Rioja: % of older than 65

Genetics Program and chronological age Life Styles Nutritional Status: Feeding Physical Activity Social Factors Diseases

Hence the importance, among others, of eating in order to grow older healthily and caring for the physical activity.

FACTORS IN THE AGING PROCESS

If the elderly lives at home: alone or as a couple, their available resources, their need of help

If the elderly lives institutionalized: need for adaptation, homesickness, lack of appetite, resocialization, uprooting, supplementation of food by family ...

The limitations in their diet for common diseases (hypertension, diabetes ...): salt, sugar, fiber, fats, alcohol, calories …

The attitudes of the elderly to dietary changes: ingrained habits, resistance to change, fear of illness, obsession with food …

100 Respondents Ages: Between 46 and 93 year-olds (Most of then

older than 66) 57% Women 50% live with partner 22% alone 57% Married y 29% widows or widowers 29% No schooling 31% Sedentary (64% Exercise “a little” ) 80% Perceive their economy as “normal”

RESPONDENT GENERAL PROFILE

30% Consider themselves fairly religious More than 50% quite medicated (more than 3 daily

medications) Most treated diseases are:

1. Arterial Hypertension (36%)2. Hypercholesterolemia (21%)3. Diabetes (17%) 4. Prostatism and cardiovascular diseases(> 10%)

40% follow or have followed a prescribed diet

RESPONDENT GENERAL PROFILE

EATING BETWEEN MEALS

Most of then don’t eat between meals (67%)

Of those who do eat, 20% eat between meals to calm their nerves or because some food makes them feel good.

40% say that they eat fast

o 20% eat on their owno Some need help to be able

to eat (7%)o One in five respondents

has trouble chewing or swallowing food

ON THEIR OWN, HELP, SWALLOWING

SOME HABITS AND CUSTOMS

Difficulty chewing and swallowing (dysphagia) Less absorption of nutrients Lack of appetite (for weakness, polypharmacy,

depression or anxiety disorder etc…) Lack of time or ability to cook and buy Dietary restrictions: cholesterol, sugar, salt ...

Conclusion: Care for factors which influence feeding

PREPARATIONS AND SETTING

WHERE, NUMBER OF MEALS

More than 60% buy and cook their meals

A great mayority (70%) set and decorate the table (tablecloth, decorations)

Half of them eat watching TV

Eat in the kitchen (86%)

More elderly have four meals a day (38%), others have three (36%) and fewer have five (26%)

SHOPPING, PREPARATION AND MEALS

In our survey the elderly may not ingest enough liquids, since half of them drink only five glasses or fewer per day and the other half take six or more.

It is recommended around 8 glasses or more a day.

Note that the elderly have:1. Minor kidney's ability to save water and

concentrate urine.2. Low water intake and less feeling of thirst3. Intake of diuretics4. Conclusion: higher predisposition to dehydration

LIQUID INGESTION

PYRAMID FOR ADULTS OVER 70 YEARS OLD (Russel et al.)

LIKES AND INTAKERECOMMENDATIONS:

COMPARE

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES:

◦ Fairly appreciated: mostly lettuce, tomato, green beans, onion, pear, apple, grapes etc. Common in our rural culture of La Rioja

◦ However real daily intake of vegetables and fruit is not as SUITABLE : almost 30% only have one piece of fruit a day and more than 70% eat vegetables only once a day

FOOD PREFERENCES

MORE TRADITIONAL LIKES CARBOHYDRATE FOODS

Foods rich in carbohydrates are widely accepted: potatoes (cooked), bread, chickpeas and beans mostly ; macaroni, othes pasta or pizzas are not appreciated

More traditional preferences

FOOD PREFERENCES

TRADITIONAL TASTES PROTEINS

In addition to legumes, our elders like:

Milk Eggs Chicken Fish

They do not like burgers or pizzas

FOOD PREFERENCES

Excess or lack of weight

A large majority believes that they have too many "kilos“; that they are overweight (64%).

Only 12% claim to be thin, that is, they lack weight

The loss of weight may be a sign of alarm

Caloric needs of the elderly decline with age

This caloric reduction should not affect those foods with proteins, minerals or vitamins, but to them that have the greatest amount of FATS AND SUGARS

SELF-PERCEPTION OF BODY WEIGHT

31% of respondents say they are sedentary. 64% only do some physical exercise. 5% do quite some exercise.

In the elderly, exercise is the main determinant of TOTAL ENERGY EXPENDITURE.

Exercising (Dr. H. Cooper): "The method to put more years in their life and more life in their years"

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

MANY BENEFITS LOGROÑO DEPORTE

Lowers the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease

Improves Hypertension Improves blood lipid

profile Regulates glucose Improves weight control Is good for the bones,

joints… Helps you sleep well

Adequate and attractive activities for their state

BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

FEEL THEM CLOSER