Nutritional status in the healthy longeval population from Sardinia (Italy)

• Published in: The Journal of nutrition, health & aging Vol. 14; no. 2; pp. 97 - 102
• Main Authors: Buffa, R., Floris, G., Lodde, M., Cotza, M., Marini, Elisabetta
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01.02.2010; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Aging - physiology; anthropometry; bioelectrical impedance vector analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Body Composition; Electric Impedance; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geriatric Assessment; Geriatrics/Gerontology; Humans; Italy; Longevity - physiology; Male; Malnutrition - diagnosis; Malnutrition - epidemiology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mini nutritional assessment; Neurosciences; Nutrition; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Primary Care Medicine; Quality of Life Research; sex differences; Sex Distribution; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Sardinia; Italy; Europe; Mini nutritional assessment; bioelectrical impedance vector analysis; aging; anthropometry; sex differences; Mini Nutritional Assessment; Anthropometry; Ageing; Sex; Metabolic diseases; Impedance; Vector; Nutritional status; Comparative study
• ISSN: 1279-7707; 1760-4788; 1760-4788
• DOI: 10.1007/s12603-010-0018-9

The aim of this study was to evaluate sex- and age-related variations of the nutritional status in the aged population of central Sardinia, a geographical area with a high frequency of long-lived people, particularly men. The sample consisted of 200 subjects over 70 years of age (men: N= 100, age=81.0±7.0 years; women: N= 100, age= 81.5±7.3 years). Orroli (central Sardinia, Italy). Mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) were used to evaluate nutritional status and body composition. The indicators revealed a generally good nutritional status. The MNA results (men: 24.6±2.2; women: 23.4±2.5) showed that 64.1% of the subjects had a normal nutritional status and only a small proportion (1.2%) could be classified as malnourished. BIVA showed that most subjects (74.2%) were normal, while the prevalence of low body cell mass was 10.7% and that of dehydration 11.2%. According to the MNA, the nutritional status was significantly better in the men. Almost three-quarters of the men (73.1%) were well nourished vs. half of the women (50.6%). A worsening of the nutritional status with age was observed. The proportion of malnourished individuals, as assessed by MNA, increased from 0% to 9.1% from 70–79 to >90 years. With respect to their contemporaries from other regions, the elderly of Orroli presented a better nutritional status, a similar worsening with age and generally higher sexual dimorphism.