The Association Between Frequency of Food Group Consumption and Functional Disability in Older People

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the association between the frequency of food group consumption and functional disability in Korean older people. METHODS: Data are from the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Subjects were 771 people (324 men and 447 women) aged 65 and older living in the community. Information on frequency of food group consumption was obtained using a food-frequency questionnaire and functional disability was assessed using the activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) scales. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association of frequency of food group consumption with ADL and IADL. RESULTS: Adjusting for covariates, in men, frequency of milk and their products consumption was inversely associated with IADL disability [OR (95% CI) 0.29 (0.13-0.65); p for trend=0.003]. Frequencies of fish and shellfish, and beverages consumption were also inversely associated with IADL disability. In women, frequencies of vegetables, seaweeds, and beverages consumption were inversely associated with ADL disability. Frequency of legumes and their products consumption was inversely associated with IADL disability [OR (95% CI) 0.56 (0.33-0.95); p for trend=0.063]. CONCLUSION: Increased frequencies of food group consumption may be protective against functional disability in Korean older people. Further research is needed to ascertain the effect of diet on physical disability in older persons.