Eating behavior and energy and nutrient intake in overweight/obese and normal-weight Spanish elderly.

Dietary patterns were studied in 122 Spanish elderly people divided into two groups: overweight/obese subjects (O) (BMI > or = 25 kg/m2), and normal-weight subjects (NW) (BMI < 25). O subjects ate less fruit and more meat than NW subjects. No differences were found between NW and O subjects with respect to energy intake, but O elderly obtained more of their energy from proteins and less from carbohydrates. Further, O subjects showed a higher cholesterol intake per MJ than NW subjects. The existence of the dietary imbalances seen in the diet of the O elderly may damage their health.