Changes in dietary intakes with age.

The aim of this study was to describe changes in dietary intakes with age in subjects aging normally within the Toulouse study. Daily caloric intakes were constant in both sexes and in the three age classes considered. Energy distributions among the meals were rather clearly modified in men: the contribution of breakfast and afternoon snacks increased while those of lunch and dinner decreased. Observations among women were less consistent but the contribution of dinner also decreased with age (from 33.3 to 30.7%). This decreased contribution from dinner was due to a change in its nutrient composition (fewer lipids and more carbohydrates) which change the nutrient constitution of the entire daily diet, and also from a change in structure (reduced contribution by the main dish and increased role of desserts). These results pose questions concerning the reasons behind this change (loss of appetite, more pronounced taste for sweets?) and requires additional study.