Dietary fat intake and quality in long-term care residents in two cohorts assessed 10 years apart

• Published in: BMC nutrition Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 31
• Main Authors: Jyväkorpi Satu, K, Suominen Merja, H, Strandberg Timo, E, Salminen, Karoliina, Niskanen Riikka, T, Roitto, Hanna-Maria, Saarela Riitta, K T, Pitkälä Kaisu, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 12.04.2022; BMC
• Subjects: Age; Body mass index; Dementia; Diaries; Diet; Dietary supplements; Energy; Ethics; Fat composition; Fat quality; Fatty acids; Food; Long term health care; Long-term care; Malnutrition; Medical records; Monounsaturated fatty acids; Nurses; Nursing homes; Nutrition research; Oils & fats; Older people; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Saturated fatty acids; Software; Finland; Fat composition; Monounsaturated fatty acids; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Fat quality; Saturated fatty acids; Long-term care
• ISSN: 2055-0928; 2055-0928
• DOI: 10.1186/s40795-022-00524-9

To describe and compare detailed dietary fat intake, fat quality and associative factors between two measuring points 10 years apart of residents living in long-term care facilities, and to reflect how fat composition and fat quality corresponds to current nutrition recommendations. In 2007 long-term care residents (n = 374) of 25 assisted-living facilities and nursing homes and in 2017-18 long-term care residents (n = 486) of 17 respective facilities in Helsinki metropolitan area were recruited for this study. Information on the residents' heights, demographic information and use of calcium and vitamin D supplementation were retrieved from medical records. Residents' clinical assessment included Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and questionnaire related to nutrition care. Participants' energy and fat intake were determined from 1--2-day food diaries kept by the ward nurses, and fat quality indicators calculated. Age, gender distribution, MNA score or body mass index did not differ between the two cohorts. Residents' cognitive status, subjective health and mobility were poorer in 2017 compared to 2007. Total fat and saturated fatty acid (SFA) intakes were higher and fat quality indicators lower in the 2017 cohort residents than in the 2007 cohort residents. Sugar intake, male gender, eating independently, eating larger amounts and not having dry mouth predicted higher SFA intake in the 2017 cohort. The fat quality in long-term care residents in our study worsened in spite of official recommendations between the two measurement points.