The nutritional status of the aging; public health aspects.

In preliminary analysis of nutritional, physical and laboratory data obtained in a study of 577 persons 50 years of age and over in San Mateo County, a number of factors of possible significance were noted. Of the 577 persons examined, 243 were referred to private physicians for a total of 377 conditions requiring attention. Obesity and hypertension were the most common causes for referral. More women than men were overweight. Anemia was noted more often in women than in men. Serious anemia was of higher incidence in the higher age brackets. In a number of cases in which there was high glucose content in the blood there was no trace of sugar in the urine. Abnormally low content of ascorbic acid in the blood was of high incidence among persons of low income, of lesser incidence in the middle income group, and did not occur in persons in the high income group.