[Relationship between anthropometric health indexes with food consumption in physically active elderly]. / Relación entre índices antropométricos de salud con el consumo de alimentos en adultos mayores físicamente activos.

INTRODUCTION: Programs focused on active aging do not always have actions to guide the elderly about healthy eating. Therefore, the concordance between the feeding habits and the morphological characteristics of this population group is little known. OBJECTIVE: To correlate the anthropometric health indexes with the frequency of food consumption in physically active elderly (PAE). METHODS: The sample consisted of 307 physically active Chilean elders of both sexes (8.4% males), with a mean age of 70.2 years. The studied variables corresponded to nutritional status, abdominal adiposity, cardiovascular risk and frequency of food consumption. A logistic regression model was applied, considering alpha < 0.05. RESULTS: Fruit intake (OR = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.92) and water consumption (OR = 0.20; CI 95%, 0.04-0.90) are shown as protective factors for obesity; on the other hand, alcohol consumption (OR = 4.19; 95% CI, 1.03-17.02) and sweet snacks (OR = 10.68; 95% CI, 1.85-61.74) are presented as risk factors for obesity. In addition, vegetable intake (OR = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.11-0.92) was associated as a protective factor against abdominal adiposity and sweet snack consumption (OR = 6.45; 95% CI, 1.08-38.43) as a factor to present cardiovascular risk. CONCLUSION: The PAE that are more frequent in the consumption of healthy foods also show better nutritional status, abdominal adiposity and lower cardiovascular risk than active Chilean elderly who exhibit less healthy eating behavior.

Relación entre índices antropométricos de salud con el consumo de alimentos en adultos mayores físicamente activos / Relationship between anthropometric health indexes with food consumption in physically active elderly

Introducción: los programas enfocados en el envejecimiento activo no siempre cuentan con acciones que orienten a los adultos mayores en torno a la alimentación saludable. Esta situación hace poco conocida la concordancia entre los hábitos de alimentación con las características morfológicas de este grupo de la población. Objetivo: relacionar los índices antropométricos de salud con la frecuencia en el consumo de alimentos en adultos mayores físicamente activos (AMFA). Métodos: la muestra incluyó 307 adultos mayores chilenos físicamente activos de ambos sexos (8,4% varones), con una edad media de 70,1 años. Las variables estudiadas correspondieron al estado nutricional, adiposidad abdominal, riesgo cardiovascular y frecuencia en el consumo de alimentos. Se aplicó un modelo de regresión logística, considerando un α < 0,05. Resultados: la ingesta de frutas (OR = 0,12; IC 95%, 0,02-0,92) y el consumo de agua (OR = 0,20; IC 95%, 0,04-0,90) se exhiben como factores protectores frente a la obesidad. En cambio, el consumo de alcohol (OR = 4,19; IC 95%, 1,03-17,02) y snacks dulces (OR = 10,68; IC 95%, 1,85-61,74) se presentan como factores de riesgo para la obesidad. Además, la ingesta de verduras (OR = 0,32; IC 95%, 0,11-0,92) se asoció como un factor protector frente a la adiposidad abdominal, y el consumo de snacks dulces (OR = 6,45; IC 95%, 1,08-38,43), como un factor para presentar riesgo cardiovascular. Conclusión: los AMFA que presentan mayor frecuencia en el consumo de alimentos saludables manifiestan también mejor estado nutricional, adiposidad abdominal y menor riesgo cardiovascular respecto a los adultos mayores chilenos activos que exhiben conductas de alimentación menos saludables (AU)

Introduction: Programs focused on active aging do not always have actions to guide the elderly about healthy eating. Therefore, the concordance between the feeding habits and the morphological characteristics of this population group is little known. Objective: To correlate the anthropometric health indexes with the frequency of food consumption in physically active elderly (PAE). Methods: The sample consisted of 307 physically active Chilean elders of both sexes (8.4% males), with a mean age of 70.2 years. The studied variables corresponded to nutritional status, abdominal adiposity, cardiovascular risk and frequency of food consumption. A logistic regression model was applied, considering α < 0.05. Results: Fruit intake (OR = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.92) and water consumption (OR = 0.20; CI 95%, 0.04-0.90) are shown as protective factors for obesity; on the other hand, alcohol consumption (OR = 4.19; 95% CI, 1.03-17.02) and sweet snacks (OR = 10.68; 95% CI, 1.85-61.74) are presented as risk factors for obesity. In addition, vegetable intake (OR = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.11-0.92) was associated as a protective factor against abdominal adiposity and sweet snack consumption (OR = 6.45; 95% CI, 1.08-38.43) as a factor to present cardiovascular risk. Conclusion: The PAE that are more frequent in the consumption of healthy foods also show better nutritional status, abdominal adiposity and lower cardiovascular risk than active Chilean elderly who exhibit less healthy eating behaviors (AU)