Estimated Intakes of Nutrients and Polyphenols in Participants Completing the MaPLE Randomised Controlled Trial and Its Relevance for the Future Development of Dietary Guidelines for the Older Subjects

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 12; no. 8; p. 2458
• Main Authors: Martini, Daniela, Bernardi, Stefano, Del Bo’, Cristian, Hidalgo Liberona, Nicole, Zamora-Ros, Raul, Tucci, Massimiliano, Cherubini, Antonio, Porrini, Marisa, Gargari, Giorgio, González-Domínguez, Raúl, Peron, Gregorio, Kirkup, Benjamin, Kroon, Paul A., Andres-Lacueva, Cristina, Guglielmetti, Simone, Riso, Patrizia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 15.08.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; bioactive compounds; Diaries; Diet; Diet Records; Dietary guidelines; Disease; eating habits; Energy; Energy Intake; estimation; Feeding Behavior; Female; Flavonoids; Flavonoids - administration & dosage; Food; food intake; Health care; Homes for the Aged; Humans; Male; Malnutrition; Middle Aged; Nursing Homes; nutrient content; Nutrients; Nutrients - administration & dosage; Nutrition Policy; Nutrition research; Nutritive Value; Older people; Permeability; Phenols; Polyphenols; Polyphenols - administration & dosage; population; Residential Facilities; Seasons; Italy; nursing home; aging; residential care; flavonoids; menu; phenolic acids
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu12082458

The evaluation of food intake in older subjects is crucial in order to be able to verify adherence to nutritional recommendations. In this context, estimation of the intake of specific dietary bioactives, such as polyphenols, although particularly challenging, is necessary to plan possible intervention strategies to increase their intake. The aims of the present study were to: (i) evaluate the nutritional composition of dietary menus provided in a residential care setting; (ii) estimate the actual intake of nutrients and polyphenols in a group of older subjects participating in the MaPLE study; and (iii) investigate the impact of an eight-week polyphenol-rich dietary pattern, compared to an eight-week control diet, on overall nutrient and polyphenol intake in older participants. The menus served to the participants provided ~770 mg per day of total polyphenols on average with small variations between seasons. The analysis of real consumption, measured using weighed food diaries, demonstrated a lower nutrient (~20%) and polyphenol intake (~15%) compared to that provided by the menus. The feasibility of dietary patterns that enable an increase in polyphenol intake with putative health benefits for age-related conditions is discussed, with a perspective to developing dietary guidelines for this target population.