Self-Perception of Economic Means Is Associated with Dietary Choices, Diet Quality and Physical Health in the Oldest Old Men from the Highest Socioeconomic Group.

INTRODUCTION: Self-perception of economic means may affect dietary choices, diet quality, and health behavior. We examined these associations in the oldest-old men from the highest socioeconomic class.
METHODS: The participants in this cross-sectional analysis were the oldest- old home-dwelling men (n = 314, mean age 87 years, range 82-97 years) from the longitudinal Helsinki Businessmen Study cohort. They responded to a postal health and nutrition questionnaire, whereupon dietary intakes were assessed using 3-day food diaries and two diet quality indices. The questionnaire also included items about health, exercise, falls, and economic means.
RESULTS: Higher self-perception of economic means was linearly associated with higher fish intake (p = 0.021), fruit and vegetable intakes (p = 0.027), use of alcohol (p = 0.003), overall diet quality according to IDQ (p = 0.008), self-perceived physical condition (p = 0.002) and inversely associated with body weight (p = 0.011), weight loss (p = 0.008), blood glucose levels (p = 0.020), and falls (p = 0.029).
CONCLUSION: Self-perception of economic means was associated with dietary choices and physical health even among affluent older men. This information is important, because self-perception of economic means, however real, may affect health and nutrition behavior of older people.