Dietary habits and nutrient intake among elderly persons in adjumani district
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Date
2023
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Gulu University
Abstract
Globally prevalence of malnutrition among elderly persons is alarming and it’s even worst in developing countries due to poor dietary habits and low nutrient intake.The overall objective of this study was to assess the dietary habits, energy and nutrient intake among elderly persons in Adjumani district. Specifically, the study determined the dietary habits, energy and nutrient intake adequacy among elderly persons and associated social and health factors. This study employed a cross-sectional survey design involving 246 elderly persons. Data was collected using individual household semi- structured questionnaires. Results showed that elderly persons had moderate dietary habits with majority consuming cereals, roots and tubers and pulses with less or no consumption of meat, milk and eggs. Majority of the respondents had two meals per day with medium dietary diversity score (DDS of 4.54±1.11). Results for dietary intake adequacy indicated that RDA for most of the micronutrients were met although intake of iron was above RDA but within upper tolerance limit while intake of Vitamin A and B12 were below the RDA. The intake of energy was below RDA and lipids intake was below RDA for male elderly persons although intake of carbohydrate was above the RDA. Intake of protein was adequate among male and low for female elderly persons. Calcium intake was below the RDA among the genders. The results also indicated that gender, living status, level of education, marital status and income level were among the social predictors of dietary habits, energy and nutrient intake (p<0.05). The results also revealed that hypertension, dental illness and eye disease were the health predictors of dietary habits, energy and nutrient intake of elderly persons (p<0.05).There is need for more sensitization on good nutrition, prioritization of geriatric health management and deliberate nutritional intervention to target elderly persons.
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dietary habits, nutrient, elderly person