Nutrient Intakes and Self-Perceived Health Status of the Institutionalized Elderly Daejeon and Chungchong Area

This study was conducted to provide insight into the management and care of the elderly in nursing homes. Eighty-six elderly subjects over 65 years old (38 male, 48 female) in 3 non-fee-paying nursing homes, located in Daejeon and Chungchong areas, were studied. Subjects'dietary intakes by estimated food intake records, and self-perceived health conditions, were studied using questionnaires from July 21 to August 1, 1997. Twenty-one % of the male subjects and 42% of the female subjects were over 80 years. Their predominant past occupation was farming. While 8.3% of the female and no male residents showed a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 27 and above, about 30% of the subjects were underweight and in poor health status in seeing, joint pains, lumbago and shoulder pains. Regarding overall health status, 72.1% of the subjects considered them to be in poor health, and female and male subjects suffered more difficulties from cloudy eyes, joint pains and lumbago and shoulder pains than any other. Neuralgia was the predominant chronic complaint and followed by hypertension in both sexes. Overall, female subjects felt worse off than the male subjects in terms of their health status, that can be attributed to higher average age of the female subjects compared to the male subjects. The elderly were eating a very low fat (about 15 g : 6% of total calorie) diet with low vitamin A and E. Intakes of calories, protein and iron slightly exceeded RDA. The phosphorus intake was more than double the RDA although calcium intake was close to the RDA. From these results, it seems important to doubling the fat intake of the elderly residents in the form of vegetable fat with the object of raising of vitamin E, antioxidant vitamin, and essential fatty acids for the elderly. It is also recommended that the elderly residents should be given adequate calcium and exercise for bone health.