Effect of Soybean Intake on Nutritional Status of the Healthy Elderly

The purpose of this study was to develop the dietary enhancement program for rural elderly. The subjects consisted of 71 normal healthy elderly aged over 60 living in rural and senior citizen center. Daily supplementation of 20g soybean powder of 3 months revealed no statistically significant elevation in serum parameters of the elderly, but resulted in the increment in the number of the subject with normal range of serum parameters and the improvement in perceptions of health status by CMI score, even though the nutrients intake had constantly lowered. The nutrients intake of rural elderly was very low: energy intake was 59-68% of RDA, that of protein 47~59%, and clacium 21~60% only. Supplementation of 20 g soybean powder per day for 3 months, did not enhance nutrients intake of rural elderly. We can recommended that constant nutrients supplementation program as well as dietary enhancement program are needed to improve the quality of life of rural elderly.