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：旨在识别巴西圣保罗州博图卡图市代表性老年人群体的饮食模式及其分布特征。
研究方法：本项横断面研究（cross-sectional study）于2011年3月至6月间，通过分层抽样法（stratified sampling）选取博图卡图市基层医疗卫生机构的355名老年使用者，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。采用主成分分析（Principal Component Analysis）提取出6种饮食模式。将个体食物摄入得分按三分位（tertiles）划分，将个体对每种饮食模式的依从程度分为低、中、高三档，以分析依从性三分位与社会人口学变量之间的关联。
研究结果：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。仅受过初等教育的人群对“健康食品”与“水果”两种模式的依从度较高。与之相对，男性与受教育程度最高的人群更依从“零食与周末餐”模式。女性则更常依从“清淡全食”与“软食”模式。“软食”模式也更受高龄亚组人群的青睐。
研究结论：本次研究的受试人群呈现出多样化的饮食模式，且这些模式受到社会人口学特征的影响。