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 own o 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 thirst 3.Intake of diuretics 4.Conclusion: higher predisposition to dehydration LIQUID INGESTION

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

LIKES AND INTAKE RECOMMENDATIONS: 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 BENEFITSLOGROÑO 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

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