Objectives
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the dietary patterns based on micronutrient intake among an elderly population.
Methods
METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study among elderly who lives São Caetano do Sul – São Paulo, Brazil. Data from 295 elderly, aged 60 to 93 years old, were analyzed. Micronutrient intake was obtained from 24 hour Dietary. The micronutrients analyzed were: retinol (mcg), vitamin D (mcg), vitamin C (mg), niacin (mg), vitamin B6 (mg), total folate (mcg), vitamin B12 (mcg), calcium (mg), iron (mg), zinc (mg) and copper (mg). Principal components analysis (PCA), followed by factor analysis, was used to identify the dietary patterns.
Results
RESULTS: Three major dietary patterns were retained, explaining 72.2% of total variance of intake. Factor 1 was characterized by consumption of niacin (mg), vitamin B6 (mg), total folate (mcg), iron (mg), zinc (mg) and copper (mg). Factor 2: retinol (mcg), total folate (mcg), vitamin B12 (mcg) and copper (mg). Factor 3: vitamin D (mcg), vitamin C (mg), total folate (mcg) and calcium (mg). All dietary patterns were consistent to elderly Brazilian patterns (beans, rice, meat, pasta, bread, coffee with milk and butter.
Conclusions
CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that dietary patterns characterized by inadequate diet can be used to improve and develop new strategies to protect them against chronic diseases, improving their life quality.
