DIFFERENCES IN DIETARY PATTERNS DIFFERENCES IN DIETARY PATTERNS BETWEEN YOUNGER AND OLDER OBESE BETWEEN YOUNGER AND OLDER OBESE

AND OVERWEIGHT OUTPATIENTSAND OVERWEIGHT OUTPATIENTS

TOFFANELLO ED, INELMEN EM, SERGI G, COIN A, BUSETTO L, MANZATO E, ENZI G

DIPARTIMENTO DI SCIENZE MEDICHE E CHIRURGICHE

UNIVERSITA’ DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA

CLINICA GERIATRICA

International Symposium: OBESITY IN THE ELDERLY Rome, January 26th - 28th 2006

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY

Though the Mediterranean diet has been associated with positive effect on longevity and comorbidities, obesity can occur despite a healthy diet, even in seniors (excessive energy-intake?)

Traditional dietary patterns are favoured by seniors, whereas Western diet is preferred

by younger adults

The aim of the study was to describe differences in dietary patterns between younger and older obese, overweight outpatients

DESIGN AND METHODSFood intake patterns were investigated using scores for the daily frequency of consumption of different foodstuffs according to gender and age group.

Food scores were calculated as follows:

No-starchy vegetables, potatoes and fresh fruit scores were the sum of the average number of meals a day when fruit and vegetables were eaten

Dairy products were scored as daily frequency of consumption of milk and cheese

Sweets and desserts scores included sweets, biscuits, cakes, ice-cream, jams, chocolates, and honey

Pasta, pizza and bread were scored separately as the number of times each of these foods were eaten per day

Meat scores were calculated according to the number of times a day that white meat and red meat were eaten

Alcohol scores were obtained by calculating the daily frequency of consumption of different alcoholic beverages, e.g. wine, beer, spirits

  Number Height (m)*†‡ Weight (Kg)*†‡ BMI (Kg/m 2* Waist (cm)*‡

Men          

18-34y 19 1.77±0.05 113.3±13.1 36.6±5.5 117.6±10.0

35-64y 47 1.74±0.06 113.3±26.9 36.7±6.1 116.8±9.4

≥65y 13 1.68±0.08 94.0±22.0 36.5±4.5 117.7±16.1

All men 79 1.72±0.06 106.9±20.7 36.6±5.3 117.3±11.8

Women          

18-34y 47 1.63±0.07 93.1±19.4 36.2±5.1 111.7±13.8

35-64y 196 1.60±0.06 88.7±16.2 31.5±11.3 113.7±12.7

≥65y 73 1.57±0.06 85.4±14.2 34.4±4.5 114.6±9.3

All women 316 1.60±0.06 89.0±16.6 34.0±6.9 113.3±11.9

TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICES ACCORDING TO AGE GROUP AND GENDER (MEAN AND STANDARD DEVIATION)

* statistically significant difference in mean values between genders (P <0·001; ANOVA)† statistically significant difference in mean values across age groups in males (P<0·05; two-tailed Student’s t test).

‡ statistically significant difference in mean values across age groups in females (P<0·05; two-tailed Student’s t test).

DESCRIPTION OF THE SAMPLEDESCRIPTION OF THE SAMPLE

Bread §      

18-34 years 1.57±1.20 2.14±1.97 Ns

35-64 years 1.88±1.10 1.91±1.16 Ns

>65 years 2.11±1.05 1.94±0.996 Ns

P-value† <0.02 Ns  

Pasta      

18-34 years 0.74±0.42 1.18±0.91 <0.02

35-64 years 0.86±0.67 0.96±0.43 Ns

>65 years 1.06±0.83 0.96±0.42 Ns

P-value† <0.02 Ns  

Pizza      

18-34 years 0.12±0.12 0.17±0.08 Ns

35-64 years 0.06±0.04 0.03±0.01 <0.001

>65 years 0.00±0.00 0.01±0.01 <0.001

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

Foodstuffs Female (n=316) Male (n=79) P*

* Mean values difference between genders (two-tailed Student’s t test).† Mean values difference across age groups (two-tailed Student’s t test).

§ wheat bread and crackers were included.

DIETARY HABITSDIETARY HABITS

No-starchy vegetables‡      

18-34 years 0.64±0.60 0.88±0.61 Ns

35-64 years 1.33±1.21 1.14±0.98 Ns

>65 years 1.78±0.97 1.43±0.91 Ns

P-value† <0.001 <0.05  

Potatoes (all preparations)     

18-34 years 0.07±0.06 0.27±0.12 <0.001

35-64 years 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 -

>65 years 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 -

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

Fresh fruit      

18-34 years 0.81±0.80 0.59±0.49 Ns

35-64 years 1.50±1.49 1.23±1.17 Ns

>65 years 1.56±0.76 1.67±0.81 Ns

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

Foodstuffs Female (n=316) Male (n=79) P*

* Mean values difference between genders (two-tailed Student’s t test).† Mean values difference across age groups (two-tailed Student’s t test).‡ all vegetables were included except potatoes (including French fries).

DIETARY HABITSDIETARY HABITS

Meat      

18-34 years 0.78±0.57 1.38±0.81 <0.002

35-64 years 0.87±0.59 1.01±0.57 Ns

>65 years 0.77±0.75 1.06±0.61 Ns

P-value† Ns Ns  

Fish     

18-34 years 0.00±0.00 0.01±0.01 <0.001

35-64 years 0.17±0.15 0.10±0.07 <0.02

>65 years 0.22±011 0.30±0.15 <0.05

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

White to red meat ratio     

18-34 years 0.3 0.1  

35-64 years 0.5 0.3  

>65 years 0.6 0.6  

Foodstuffs Female (n=316) Male (n=79) P*

* Mean values difference between genders (two-tailed Student’s t test).† Mean values difference across age groups (two-tailed Student’s t test).

¶ poultry, beef, pork , lamb, sliced ham and processed meat were included.

DIETARY HABITSDIETARY HABITS

Milk     

18-34 years 0.34±0.23 0.36±0.18 Ns

35-64 years 0.89±0.51 0.57±0.21 <0.001

>65 years 1.10±0.90 0.74±0.36 Ns

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

Cheese     

18-34 years 0.64±0.59 0.58±0.41 Ns

35-64 years 0.70±0.64 0.44±0.40 <0.01

>65 years 0.72±0.41 0.54±0.51 Ns

P-value† Ns Ns  

Eggs     

18-34 years 0.06±0.06 0.04±0.01 Ns

35-64 years 0.11±0.10 0.06±0.01 <0.001

>65 years 0.11±0.10 0.09±0.02 Ns

P-value† <0.005 <0.001  

Foodstuffs Female (n=316) Male (n=79) P*

* Mean values difference between genders (two-tailed Student’s t test).† Mean values difference across age groups (two-tailed Student’s t test).

DIETARY HABITSDIETARY HABITS

Sweets and desserts      

18-34 years 1.77±1.49 2.03±1.02 Ns

35-64 years 1.30±1.01 0.76±0.42 <0.001

>65 years 0.75±0.15 0.73±0.41 Ns

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

Sweetened beverages      

18-34 years 0.19±0.18 0.25±0.12 Ns

35-64 years 0.07±0.05 0.19±0.09 <0.001

>65 years 0.00±0.00 0.17±0.08 <0.001

P-value† <0.001 <0.005  

Alcoholic beverages      

18-34 years 0.00±0.00 0.00±0.00 -

35-64 years 0.23±0.15 0.86±0.81 <0.001

>65 years 0.68±0.38 1.25±0.81 <0.001

P-value† <0.001 <0.001  

Foodstuffs Female (n=316) Male (n=79) P*

* Mean values difference between genders (two-tailed Student’s t test).† Mean values difference across age groups (two-tailed Student’s t test).

DIETARY HABITSDIETARY HABITS

RESULTSMain differences in dietary patterns have been observed, according to age in both gender. Seniors reported, compared to younger patients, the lowest daily consumption of sweet high-fat-fat foods, and the highest frequency of consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.

All the participants reported to eat cereals while the consumption of white meat and fish was higher in seniors.

The consumption of red wine at mealtime was common in older patients.

The frequencies of consumption of cheese did not differ accross age groups, but compared to normal-weight Italian population frequencies, was higher in older patients.

CONCLUSIONs

Our study provides evidence of two different dietary patterns: A Western diet which may

have influenced weight gain in younger outpatients

An Italian Mediterranean diet in older ones

Despite its healthy effect, Mediterranean diet style did not prevent our older obese outpatients from additional weight gain. Information on dietary habits may be useful to improve weight management and obesity prevention even in seniors