Diversity of eating patterns in older adults: A new scenario?

OBJECTIVE: To identify eating patterns and their distribution in a representative sample of older adults from the municipality of Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used food frequency and sociodemographic questionnaires to collect the respective data from 355 older users, selected by stratified sampling, of Botucatu's primary health care units from March to June 2011. Principal component analysis extracted six eating patterns. Individual food intake scores were divided into tertiles, classifying individual adherence to each eating pattern as low, moderate, or high, to measure the relationship between adherence tertiles and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Six eating patterns were identified and named as follows: healthy foods; snacks and weekend meals; fruits; light and whole foods; soft diet; and traditional diet. Individuals with elementary school adhered highly to the patterns 'healthy foods' and 'fruits'. On the other hand, men and individuals with the highest education levels adhered highly to the pattern 'snacks and weekend meal'. Females adhered more often to the patterns 'light and whole foods' and 'soft diet'. The pattern 'soft diet' was also preferred by the oldest subgroup. CONCLUSION: The study population presented a diversity of eating patterns influenced by sociodemographic characteristics.

研究目的：本研究旨在明确巴西圣保罗州博图卡图市具有代表性的老年人群体的饮食模式及其分布特征。
研究方法：本研究为横断面研究，于2011年3月至6月期间，通过分层抽样（stratified sampling）选取博图卡图市基层医疗卫生机构的355名老年服务对象，采用食物频率问卷（Food Frequency Questionnaire）与社会人口学问卷收集相关数据。通过主成分分析（Principal Component Analysis）提取出6种饮食模式。将个体食物摄入得分划分为三分位组，据此将个体对每种饮食模式的依从程度分为低、中、高三级，以此分析饮食模式依从性三分位组与社会人口学变量之间的关联。
研究结果：本研究共识别出6种饮食模式并命名如下："健康食品模式"、"零食与周末餐食模式"、"水果模式"、"清淡全食模式"、"软食模式"以及"传统饮食模式"。仅接受初等教育的人群对"健康食品"与"水果"两种模式的依从性较高。与之相反，男性与受教育程度最高的人群对"零食与周末餐食"模式的依从性更高。女性则更倾向于"清淡全食"与"软食"模式。年龄最大的亚组人群也更偏好"软食"模式。
研究结论：本次研究的受试人群存在多样化的饮食模式，且这些饮食模式受社会人口学特征的影响。