Study on Relationship between Elderly Group Lifestyle and Selection Attributes in the Health Functional Foods

OBJECTIVE: This experiment is to study how elderly group and their various lifestyles interact with health functional foods, according to their selection behavior. Different lifestyles will be observed closely, as well as how different health conditions and consumer involvements will affect critical decision making in selecting health functional foods. METHOD: Theories and discoveries from original advanced research were compared parallel to the new study. RESULTS: First, cluster analysis and exploratory analysis were performed amongst different elder lifestyles. Lifestyle exploratory analysis was used for healthy, unique, leisure, and economical-style elders. Cluster analysis was used for material trend oriented, health oriented, complacent oriented-style elders. Health Functional Foods' selection trait Exploratory Factor Analysis showed that product's originality (function, uniqueness, specialty, compatibility, distributor, expiration date), quality (amount, daily dose, visual representation, accessibility, portability, natural ingredients), and popularity (product container, brand image, taste and smell, advertised product, domestic or import, well-known function) were the three main causes. Secondly, the amount of benefits for the elderly group health lifestyle were affected by 'Interest in health', 'Notability of the health functional food', and 'Functionality approved mark'. Specifically, the importance of, 'Interest in health', 'Notability of health functional food', and 'Functionality approved mark' were noticeably high within health oriented elders. Lastly, after examining the data from elder lifestyle's relationship with health functional food selection trait, all three different results showed equal importance. If you closely examine material trend oriented elderly group, selection trait showed distinctively high regards in 'Fundamental Attribute', 'Typical Attribute', and 'Cognitive Attribute'. Health oriented elders showed their distinctively high regards in 'Natural Attribute', and less consideration in 'Typical Attribute' and 'Cognitive Attribute'. Complacent oriented-style elderly group showed less focus on 'Fundamental Attribute', and even less in 'Typical Attribute', and 'Cognitive Attribute'. Health oriented elderly group concluded with above data from the fact that they showed most importance and involvement in health beneficial products that are scientifically proven. Material trend oriented elderly group showed balanced traits in their concluded data, showing that they prefer function, safety, as well as the brand image and their reputation. Also, they consider the products' outer elements, such as design and product name, in order to sense inner functions. CONCLUSION: So, Silver Business corporations must develop products to fulfill the market demands, and strategize marketing plans to better target the correct audience.

Development and Acceptance of a Nutrition and Lifestyle Education Booklet to Improve Mild Cognitive Impairment among Elderly / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a common disorder among elderly and may worsen to dementia. The aim of this study is to develop a nutrition and lifestyle booklet to implement better lifestyle modification, as an effort to delay cognitive decline. A series of discussions with a research group comprising of dieticians, nutritionists, a geriatrician and a public health physician were conducted to ascertain the content of the booklet. There were seven guidelines in the booklet including; eat more fish, eat more foods rich in folic acid, eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, do activities to stimulate memory, stop smoking and alcohol drinking and stay cheerful and positive. Evaluation of acceptance for the booklet was carried out which comprised of assessment on content, graphic and design among elderly and health staff at health clinic in Cheras. The assessment involved 15 Malay elderly subjects aged 60 to 81 years (mean age 66.1 ± 6.6 years), with 60.0% men and 40.0% women and 10 health staff aged 36.6 ± 12.0 years, with range of 27 to 58 years, consists of 20.0% men and 80.0% women also participated. Most of elderly subjects (80.0%, n = 12) indicated they understood information in the booklet. Meanwhile, 20.0% (n = 3) of elderly expressed they did not fully understand the content of the booklet in particular on sentence and terminology. All health staff (100.0%) understood the information in the booklet. This booklet was well accepted by elderly subjects and health staff, however adding more graphics, simplifying sentence structures and minimizing scientific terminologies to improve understanding were suggested. The booklet has the potential to increase the nutritional and health knowledge of elderly specifically with MCI. This would motivate them to adopt healthy eating and lifestyle, thus reducing cognitive decline and prevent dementia.