Socio-economic status is associated with the risk of inadequate energy intake among Korean elderly / 한국영양학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the factors influencing inadequate energy intake among Korean elderly. METHODS: Our study included 1,869 elderly people (over 60 years old) who completed a dietary survey from the fifth Korean NHANES (2010). Factors that could affect the nutritional status of the elderly included age, family status, socio-economic factors (education, family income, livelihood security, employment), and health related factors (having chronic disease, functional status, diet therapy, depression, and suicidal thoughts). Energy and protein intake were assessed using the dietary intake data from 24hr recall method. RESULTS: The percentage of people who consumed energy less than 75% of EEA for Koreans was 23.7% in men, 31.1% in women. The carbohydrate contribution to the total energy intake in the inadequate energy intake group was significantly higher than that in the adequate intake group (p < 0.05). Factors significantly related to inadequate energy intake after adjusting for age, family status, education, family income, employment, functional status, and suicidal thoughts were education (OR: 1.480 in men, 1.614 in women) and employment (OR: 1.751 in men, 1.464 in women), age 70 years or older in men (OR: 1.475), and living with family but without spouse in women (OR: 1.496). CONCLUSION: In summary, the results imply that energy intake of elderly would be affected by the status of social environment with aging and nutrition-related policy for Korean elderly should be based on the social status as well as health related conditions.