Impact of the diagnosis of diabetes and/or hypertension on healthy food consumption indicators: a longitudinal study of elderly persons

Abstract Objective: to evaluate if the prevalence of healthy food consumption indicators among elderly persons with the self-reported diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and/or systemic arterial hypertension (DM and/or SAH) improved after diagnosis of these diseases, and to compare if the prevalence of such indicators was more frequent among elderly persons with DM and/or SAH than in elderly persons without these diseases. Method: a longitudinal study of 1,197 elderly persons aged 60-104 years, living in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil, was performed, considering as an outcome the self-reported diagnosis of diabetes and/or hypertension. Healthy consumption indicators (exposures) were considered the maintenance and/or acquisition of the intake of fruit and vegetables ≥3 and ≥2 times/day, respectively, the consumption of fatty meat