OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether food variety and diversity are associated with physical and cognitive functioning in older adults in Botswana and designed a simple set of screening questions that predict food variety in this population. METHODS: Data were collected (1998) as a national household survey of 1085 subjects 60 y and older. A food variety score, based on a food frequency checklist, was calculated by summing the frequency of weekly intakes of 16 food items (0 to 66). A dietary diversity score was calculated as the number of food groups consumed weekly (0 to 5). A representative subsample (n = 393) was randomly selected for the clinical component of the survey, and measurements on dependency and cognitive function were conducted. RESULTS: Low food variety was found: 35.2%, 59.3%, and 22.4% of subjects consumed no dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, respectively. A higher food variety score was associated with urban residence, ownership of cattle, higher education, and more frequent meals, and these indicators were used to construct a nutritional risk indicator. Higher food variety score was associated with better self-reported health and better cognitive function. Similarly, a higher score on the nutritional risk indicator screening tool was associated with desirable health outcomes. CONCLUSION: A limited number of foods is consumed, leading to an overall pattern of poor food variety. Higher food variety was associated with improved physical and cognitive functions. A screening tool that predicts food variety in this population has been developed and is recommended to be incorporated at a primary care level to identify older adults most at risk of a poor quality diet.
OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether food variety and diversity are associated with physical and cognitive functioning in older adults in Botswana and designed a simple set of screening questions that predict food variety in this population. METHODS: Data were collected (1998) as a national household survey of 1085 subjects 60 y and older. A food variety score, based on a food frequency checklist, was calculated by summing the frequency of weekly intakes of 16 food items (0 to 66). A dietary diversity score was calculated as the number of food groups consumed weekly (0 to 5). A representative subsample (n = 393) was randomly selected for the clinical component of the survey, and measurements on dependency and cognitive function were conducted. RESULTS: Low food variety was found: 35.2%, 59.3%, and 22.4% of subjects consumed no dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, respectively. A higher food variety score was associated with urban residence, ownership of cattle, higher education, and more frequent meals, and these indicators were used to construct a nutritional risk indicator. Higher food variety score was associated with better self-reported health and better cognitive function. Similarly, a higher score on the nutritional risk indicator screening tool was associated with desirable health outcomes. CONCLUSION: A limited number of foods is consumed, leading to an overall pattern of poor food variety. Higher food variety was associated with improved physical and cognitive functions. A screening tool that predicts food variety in this population has been developed and is recommended to be incorporated at a primary care level to identify older adults most at risk of a poor quality diet.
Authors: Niladri Basu; Edith Clarke; Allyson Green; Benedict Calys-Tagoe; Laurie Chan; Mawuli Dzodzomenyo; Julius Fobil; Rachel N Long; Richard L Neitzel; Samuel Obiri; Eric Odei; Lauretta Ovadje; Reginald Quansah; Mozhgon Rajaee; Mark L Wilson Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2015-05-13 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Jean-Luc Jucker; Tracey Thornborrow; Ulrik Beierholm; D Michael Burt; Robert A Barton; Elizabeth H Evans; Mark A Jamieson; Martin J Tovée; Lynda G Boothroyd Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2017-08-16 Impact factor: 4.379