Dietary–Physical Activity Patterns in the Health Context of Older Polish Adults: The ‘ABC of Healthy Eating’ Project

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 14; no. 18; p. 3757
• Main Authors: Jeruszka-Bielak, Marta, Hamulka, Jadwiga, Czarniecka-Skubina, Ewa, Hoffmann, Monika, Kostyra, Eliza, Stasiewicz, Beata, Jeszka, Jan, Wadolowska, Lidia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.09.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Activity patterns; Adults; Aged; Analysis; Appetite; Appetite loss; Beverages; Body weight loss; Cardiovascular disease; Diabetes; Diet; dietary patterns; Eating; Exercise; Exercise for the aged; Food; Food and nutrition; Food consumption; Food groups; Food intake; functional limitations; Health aspects; Health care; Malnutrition; Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®); Nutrition assessment; Nutrition research; Nutritional status; older adults; Older people; Physical activity; Physical fitness; Physical fitness for the aged; Principal components analysis; Questionnaires; Rural areas; Socioeconomic factors; Type 2 diabetes; Values; Weight loss; Womens health; Poland
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu14183757

The study aimed to analyze the dietary–physical activity patterns (D-PAPs) in the health context of Polish people aged 60+ years. A total of 418 respondents across Poland were recruited; however, the final analysis included 361 women and men aged 60–89 years old. D-PAPs were derived using a principal component analysis (PCA); input variables were the frequency of consumption of 10 food groups and physical activity. Finally, three D-PAPs were identified: ‘Pro-healthy eating and more-active’, ‘Sweets, fried foods and sweetened beverages’, and ‘Juices, fish and sweetened beverages’. We developed the Functional Limitations Score (FLS) using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®). A logistic regression was applied to verify the association between the D-PAPs and health-condition outcomes. Older adults were more likely to adhere to the upper tertile of the ‘Pro-healthy eating and more-active’ pattern, with good/better self-reported health status in comparison with their peers (OR = 1.86) or with good/very good self-assessed appetite (OR = 2.56), while this was less likely for older adults with malnutrition risk (OR = 0.37) or with a decrease in food intake (OR = 0.46). Subjects with a decrease in food intake (OR = 0.43), who declared a recent weight loss (OR = 0.49), or older adults in the upper tertile of the FLS (OR = 0.34) were less likely to adhere to the upper tertile of the ‘Sweets, fried foods and sweetened beverages’ pattern. The decrease in food intake due to a loss of appetite or chewing or swallowing difficulties was inversely associated with the ‘Pro-healthy eating and more-active’ pattern characterized by a relatively high frequency of consumption of vegetables, fruit, water, dairy, and grains and a high physical activity. In the interest of the good nutritional status and health of older adults, special attention should be paid to removing limitations in meal consumption, including improved appetite.