Title: The Effect of Ethnicity on Nutrition throughout the Lifecycle
1The Effect of Ethnicity on Nutrition throughout
the Lifecycle
2Nutrition during Pregnancy
- Pregnant women receive nutrition-related messages
from multiple sources, including family members,
friends and health care providers, all of which
may vary based on ethnicity
- Women of various ethnic backgrounds may have
different food availabilities, food preferences,
dietary patterns, and culturally influenced
beliefs of foods during pregnancy
3Maternal Health Indicators by Ethnicity
Statistics from CDC. (2003). Pediatric Nutrition
Surveillance. Retrieved 10/05/05 from
http//www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/pdf/2001_ped_nutri
tion_report.pdf.
4Distribution of Gestational Weight Gain by
Ethnicity in a Sample of WIC Women
n173,006
Less than recommended
More than recommended
Recommended
Schieve et al. Obstet Gynecol 199891878-84.
5Percentage of women retaining 9kg (19.8 lb) by
race
Actual gestational weight gain
Key point At every level of weight gained
during pregnancy (less than recommended,
recommended and more than recommended) black
women retained more weight post-partum than white
women
6African Americans during Pregnancy
- Compared to white counterparts
- Greater prevalence of overweight before
pregnancy 49.6 have an overweight pre-pregnancy
BMI - More likely to suffer from anemia in the 3rd
trimester and post-partum period -- 43.9 for
both time periods - Have the lowest rate of pre-pregnancy underweight
compared to all other ethnic populations - More likely to retain weight after pregnancy
7What are African-American pregnant women eating?
Top 5 food sources contributing most to
- Intake of energy
- Biscuits, muffins
- French fries/fried potatoes
- Whole milk
- White bread, bagels, crackers
- Soft drinks
- Protein intake
- Hamburger, beef, meatloaf
- Whole milk
- Fried chicken
- Eggs
- Cheese and cheese spread
- Fat intake
- mayonnaise, salad dressings
- French fries/fried potatoes
- Whole milk
- Biscuits, muffins
- Cheese and cheese spreads
Siega-Riz AM, et al. (2002) What are pregnant
women eating? Nutrient and food group differences
by race. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 186(3)480-6.
8What are pregnant African-American women eating?
Top food sources contributing most to
- Folate and Iron Intake
- Dry cereal
- White bread, bagels and crackers
- Biscuits, muffins
- Rice
- Oranges and tangerines
- Collards, kale, and greens
- Vitamin C Intake
- Orange juice, grapefruit juice
- Oranges, tangerines
- Other fruit juices
- Fortified fruit drinks
- broccoli
- Carbohydrate Intake
- Soft drinks
- Other fruit drinks
- Biscuits, muffins
- White bread, bagels, crackers
- French fries, fried potatoes
Siega-Riz AM, et al. (2002) What are pregnant
women eating? Nutrient and food group differences
by race. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 186(3)480-6.
9Asian-American/Pacific Islanders during Pregnancy
- Highest rate of underweight women during the
pre-pregnancy period 24.6 - Lowest rate of overweight women during the
pre-pregnancy period 20.9 - More likely than white counterparts to suffer
from anemia during the 3rd trimester and
post-partum period 28.7 35.3, respectively
10What are pregnant Asian-American women
eating?Some may follow Yin-Yang theory
- Yin-Yang (hot-cold) theory of pregnancy exists
for some Asian cultures - Many Asian-American groups consider pregnancy a
hot condition - Chinese consider pregnancy a cold condition
- To maintain health, pregnant women are
recommended to restrict diet to cold foods
(hot foods for Chinese) - These classifications are not defined by literal
meanings, but rather by culture, tradition, and
personal experiences over time - Yang (hot) foods include beef, chicken, eggs,
fried foods, hot and spicy foods, liquor - Yin (cold) foods include vegetables, fresh
fruits, whole grains, soybean products
11Hispanic-Americans during Pregnancy
- Equivalent overweight rates during the
pre-pregnancy period to white counterparts 41.4 - However, they have lower underweight rates 7.9
- More likely than white counterparts to suffer
from post-partum anemia 32.1 - Despite many disadvantages in terms of poverty,
education and prenatal care, immigrant women born
in Mexico have consistently shown better
pregnancy outcomes compared to US-born
Mexican-Americans1 -- possible dietary changes
that accompany acculturation?
Harley K, Eskenazi B, et al. (2005). The
association of time in the US and diet during
pregnancy in low-income women of Mexican
descent. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.
19(125-34).
12What are pregnant Mexican-American women
eating?Differences found between
Mexican-Americans born in the US v. Mexico
Mexico-born pregnant women
- are more likely to meet current health
recommendations
- have significantly higher intakes of
- Vitamins A, C E
- folate, calcium zinc
- total calories
- have lower intakes of folate, iron zinc with
more years lived in the US
Harley K, Eskenazi B, et al. (2005). The
association of time in the US and diet during
pregnancy in low-income women of Mexican
descent. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.
19(125-34).
13Differences found between Mexico-born and US-born
Mexican-Americans
- Pregnant Mexico-born immigrants had significantly
higher caloric intake than US born MAs but still
had lower pre-pregnancy weights and pregnancy
weight gains - May have to do with physical activity, which was
not measured in the study - Lower prevalence of low birthweight and preterm
delivery among Mexico-born women compared to
US-born counterparts, despite risk factors of
poverty, low education and less access to
prenatal care
Harley K, Eskenazi B, et al. (2005). The
association of time in the US and diet during
pregnancy in low-income women of Mexican
descent. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology.
19(125-34).
14Native Americans/Alaska Natives during Pregnancy
- Compared to all other ethnic populations, Native
Americans/Alaska Natives - have the highest rate of pre-pregnancy
overweight 52.6 - have a lower rate of pre-pregnancy underweight
(other than African-Americans) - have intermediate levels of 3rd trimester and
post-partum anemia 30.3 30.2, respectively
15Nutrition during Lactation
- There are many nutritional, immunological,
allergenic, economic, and psychological
advantages associated with breastfeeding - A womans dietary practices affect breast milk
during lactation - Many cultural beliefs exist concerning the direct
connection between a womans diet and the milk
produced - Some of these ideas do indeed have a basis, while
others are the result of cultural attitudes,
notions, and superstitions - Addtionally, women with previously poor-quality
diets low in vitamins and minerals may produce
milk with less-than-optimal amounts of certain
vitamins, especially vitamins A, D, B6, and B12
16Percentage of infants ever breastfed, and
breastfed at 6 and 12 months by ethnicity
1. CDC. (2005, April 11). Breastfeeding Case
Which infants are most likely to be breastfed?
Retrieved 10/05/05 from http//www.cdc.gov/pednss/
how_to/interpret_data/case_studies/breastfeeding/w
ho.htm.
17Trends in the percentage of infants ever
breastfed, by ethnicity
CDC. (2005, April 11). Breastfeeding prevalence
increasing or decreasing among racial and ethnic
groups over time? Retrieved 10/05/05
from http//www.cdc.gov/pednss/how_to/interpret_da
ta/case_studies/breastfeeding/who_and_when.htm.
18African Americans Lactation
- Prevalence of black infants ever breastfed
increased from 13.8 in 1992 to 30.8 in 2001,
the largest relative increase of any other group - Still, black infants currently have the lowest
prevalence of ever breastfed - Percentage of black infants breastfed at least 6
and 12 months is 10 and 8.3, the lowest of any
group
19Hispanic Americans Lactation
- Hispanic infants have the highest prevalence of
ever breastfed at 62.7, with a relative
increase from 1992 of 73 - Percentage of Hispanic infants breastfed at least
6 and 12 months is 29.0 and 22.8, the highest
of any group
20Asian American/Pacific Islanders Lactation
- Prevalence of AA/PI infants ever breastfed is
53.8, breastfed at 6 months is 25.6 and
breastfed at 12 months is 16.9 (2nd in all 3
measures only to Hispanic-Americans) - In a study by Wu, et al., the duration of
breastfeeding was similar in US-born Asians and
US whites, but was longer in Asia-born
immigrants1 - Yin-Yang theory may be followed yang (hot)
foods would be recommended since heat is believed
to be lost after childbirth - Classifications of food are not defined by
literal meanings, but rather by culture,
tradition, and personal experiences over time - Yang (hot) foods include beef, chicken, eggs,
fried foods, hot and spicy foods, liquor
1. Wu AH, et al. (1996) Menstrual and
reproductive factors and risk of breast cancer in
Asian-Americans. Br J Cancer. 73(5)680-6.
21American Indian/Alaska Natives Lactation
- Breastfeeding is often identified as a
traditional and culturally appropriate food for
their infants, though certain barriers such as
misinformation exist - In the early postpartum period, 51 of AI/ANs
were breastfeeding (Healthy People 2000) - Rate from 1990 to 1997 increased from 47 to 56
- However, the percentage of infants still
breastfed at age six months decreased from 27 in
1990 to 25 in 1997
22Successful Breastfeeding Promotion Interventions
among AI/ANs
- Breastfeeding initiation rates increased from 38
in 1995 to 60 in 1997 for those subjects in the
Sagkeeng First Nation Community breast-feeding
promotion intervention1 - After a breast-feeding promotion intervention
among Navajo Indians2 - the proportion of women breastfeeding exclusively
for any period of time increased from 16.4 to
54.6 - Proportion of infants fed formula from birth
declined by almost half (83.6 ? 45.4)
- Martens PJ. (2002). Increasing breastfeeding
initiation and duration at a community level an
evaluation of Sagkeeng First Nation's community
health nurse and peer counselor programs. J Jum
Lact. 18(3)236-46. - Wright AL, et al. (1998). Increasing
Breastfeeding Rates to Reduce Infant Illness at
the Community Level. Pediatrics. 101837-44.
23American Indian/Alaska Natives Lactation
Protective benefit of breastfeeding
Pettitt D, et al. (1997). Breastfeeding and
incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes
mellitus in Pima Indians. Lancet 250166-8.
24Infant Nutrition(less than 12 months of age)
- Infant feeding practices are integral parts of
individuals' ethnic and cultural beliefs - Culturally-based feeding beliefs influence how
individual mothers in various ethnic groups make
decisions
25Health Advances and Concerns for All US Infants
and Children
CDC. (2003). Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance.
Retrieved 10/05/05 from http//www.cdc.gov/nccdphp
/dnpa/pdf/2001_ped_nutrition_report.pdf.
26Key Issues Concerning Nutrition during Infancy
- Infants fed breast milk have a lower risk of
being overweight during older childhood and
adolescence - Short stature (low length/height-for-age) may
reflect the nutritional status of a child - Could possibly result from growth retardation due
to chronic malnutrition caused by inadequate food
intake - The highest prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia
is in infants - More likely to occur in infants of low birth
weight and lower socioeconomic status - Several studies of infants in various urban areas
of the US reveal an iron deficiency prevalence of
17 to 441
1. Brotanek, et al. (2005). Iron Deficiency,
Prolonged Bottle-Feeding, and Racial/Ethnic
Disparities in Young Children. Arch Pediatr
Adolesc Med, 159 1038-42.
27Importance of Infant Nutrition
- The foundation for dietary habits and nutritional
adequacy over ones lifetime is established
during infancy - Infancy is the stage when initial contact with
and orientation to foods typical of ones culture
are established
28Prevalence of Low Birth Weight Varies by Ethnicity
- Low-birth weight infants are at an increased risk
for developing health problems such as
respiratory disorders and neurodevelopment
disabilities - Prevalence of low birth weight in the US
- White infants 8.4
- Black infants 12.6
- AAPI infants 8.2
- American Indian/Alaska Native infants 7.3
- Hispanic-American infants 7.0
CDC. (2003). Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance.
Retrieved 10/05/05 from http//www.cdc.gov/nccdphp
/dnpa/pdf/2001_ped_nutrition_report.pdf.
29- From 1992-2001, low
- birthweight rates
- improved for Hispanic infants
- remained the same for black and AAPI infants
- worsened for white and American Indian/Alaska
Native infants
CDC. (2003). Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance.
Retrieved 10/05/05 from http//www.cdc.gov/nccdphp
/dnpa/pdf/2001_ped_nutrition_report.pdf.
30Prevalence of High Birth Weight Varies by
Ethnicity
- High birth weight ( 4,000 grams) puts infants at
- increased risk for death and birth injuries
- The prevalence of high birth weight
- American Indian/Alaska Native infants 11.0
- White infants 9.2
- Hispanic-Americans 8.4
- AAPI infants 6.2
- Black infants 5.0
31Childhood Nutrition
- Ethnicity influences the types of foods children
eat
32Key Issues Concerning Nutrition during Childhood
- Short stature (low length/height-for-age) may
reflect the long-term health and nutritional
status of a child or a population - The prevalence of overweight in children has
doubled since 1980 - The most common nutritional deficiency in
children is iron-deficiency, which is associated
with developmental delays and behavioral
disturbances
33Duration of Bottle-Feeding varies by
Race/Ethnicity (1-3y)
Prevalence of Iron-Deficiency Anemia Varies by
Race/Ethnicity (1-3y)
Brotanek JM, et al. (2005). Iron Deficiency,
Prolonged Bottle-Feeding and Racial/Ethnic
Disparities in Young Children. Arch Pedia Adolesc
Med. 159103842.
34Female dietary intake of cholesterol, fat,
saturated fat and sodium varies by ethnicity
MA Mexican-American
Source McDowell MA, et al. (1994). Energy and
macronutrient intakes of person ages 2 months and
over in the United States NHANES III, Phase 1,
1988-91. National Center for Health Statistics.
35Male dietary intake of fiber, fat, saturated fat
and sodium varies by ethnicity
MA Mexican-American
Source McDowell MA, et al. (1994). Energy and
macronutrient intakes of person ages 2 months and
over in the United States NHANES III, Phase 1,
1988-91. National Center for Health Statistics.
36Female dietary intake of micronutrients varies by
ethnicity
MA Mexican-American
Source Alaimo K, et al. (1994). Dietary intake
of vitamins, minerals, and fiber of persons ages
2 months and over in the United States NHANES
III, Phase I. 1988-1991. National Center for
Health Statistics
37Male dietary intake of micronutrients varies by
ethnicity
MA Mexican-American
Source Alaimo K, et al. (1994). Dietary intake
of vitamins, minerals, and fiber of persons ages
2 months and over in the United States NHANES
III, Phase I. 1988-1991. National Center for
Health Statistics
38Prevalence of overweight and risk of
overweightamong children (2-5y), by race and
ethnicity
Percentage Overweight
Graph from the CDC report titled Overweight Case
Study Who Is Affected?
39Prevalence of overweight and obesity, children
ages 6-11, by ethnicity
- Of importance
- Mexican American and African American children in
the US are considerably more overweight and obese
than their white counterparts
40Iron Deficiency most common nutritional
deficiency in childhood1
- Prevalence found to be 9 among children ages
12-30 months - Recent research has found an association between
prolonged bottle-feeding and iron deficiency - Prevalence of iron deficiency
- Bottle-fed 12 months or less 3.8
- Bottle-fed 13-23 months 11.5
- Bottle-fed 24-48 months 12.4
1. Brotanek, et al. (2005). Iron Deficiency,
Prolonged Bottle-Feeding, and Racial/Ethnic
Disparities in Young Children. Arch Pediatr
Adolesc Med, 159 1038-42.
41Dietary factors contributing to iron deficiency
anemia in young children
- Use of cow's milk during the first year of life
- Excessive intake of milk (24 oz. per day
- meets the calcium needs of 1- 5 year olds)
- Excessive intake of fruit juice or drinks
- Prolonged bottle-feeding (past 15 months of age)
42African-American children suffer from the
highest rates of anemia
43African-Americans during Childhood
- Female African-Americans children (ages 6-11)
experience the highest overweight and obesity
prevalence among female youth 37.6 and 22.2
respectively1 - According to the CDCs Pediatric Nutrition
Surveillance, black children have the highest
prevalence of anemia 19.6
1. Statistics from the American Obesity
Association
44Asian-Americans during Childhood
- Low-income AAPI children in California are
becoming overweight at an increasing rate -- and
will soon catch up to low-income white, black and
Latino children in the proportion who are
overweight or obese - The percentage of low-income AAPI children in CA
who are overweight more than doubled between 1994
and 2003, from 7 to 15 - AAPIs have the fastest growing rate of overweight
and obese children - The lure of fast food, children's adoption of
American eating habits, and long work hours were
identified as barriers to a healthy, more
traditional lifestyle1
1. Harrison GG, et al. (2005). Seizing the
Moment. Cancer.
45Hispanic-Americans during Childhood
- Latino ethnicity is associated with an increased
- prevalence of continued bottle use (bottle-fed
- between 2 and 5 years of age) 1
- 36.8 of MA children were bottle-fed between the
ages of 24 to 48 months compared to 16.9 and
13.8 for white and black children, respectively - MA children may be at an increased risk for iron
deficiency since they are more likely to be
bottle-fed past 15 months - MA males (ages 6-11) experience the highest
overweight and obesity prevalence among male
youth 43 and 27.3 respectively2
- Brotanek, et al. (2005). Iron Deficiency,
Prolonged Bottle-Feeding, and Racial/Ethnic
Disparities in Young Children. Arch Pediatr
Adolesc Med, 159 1038-42. - Statistics from the American Obesity Association
46American Indian/Alaska Natives during Childhood
- Fruit and vegetable consumption among a
population-based sample of AI/AN youth - Less than 1/4 of youths consumed recommended
daily servings of fruit - Less than 1/3 consumed recommended daily servings
of vegetables
Source Di Noia J, et al. (2005) Dietary Patterns
of Reservation and Non-Reservation Native
American Youths. Ethnicity Disease.
15(4)705-12.
47Adolescent Nutrition
- Ethnicity influences the types of foods
adolescents eat
48Adolescent Nutrition
- Prevalence of overweight and obesity among
adolescents is rising - Overweight and obese status can negatively affect
an adolescents physical, social and
psychological development - Overweight and obese status are associated with
emotional difficulties, such as - Low self-esteem
- Depression
- Anxiety
49Adolescence
Overweight children and adolescents are more
likely to become overweight adults
- Consequences of obesity in adolescence include an
increased risk for developing many diseases and
conditions, such as - Heart disease
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol levels
- Type II diabetes
- Sleep apnea
50Ethnicity affects nutritional status during
adolescence
- Various ethnic groups have different food
availabilities, food preferences, dietary
patterns, and cultural definitions of foods
- Frequency of family meals varies by ethnicity
- Frequent family meals are associated with
improved nutritional intake and a decreased risk
for unhealthy weight control practices1 - Adolescents undergo dramatic physical, cognitive,
social, and emotional changes in a relatively
short period of time these changes affect eating
practices and health
1. Neumark-Sztainer D, et al. (2003). Family
meal patterns associations with sociodemographic
characteristics and improved dietary intake among
adolescents. JADA, 103(3)317-22.
51Percentage of adolescents reporting inadequate
fruit and vegetable consumption, by ethnicity
Neumark-Sztainer D, et. al. (1996). Correlates of
fruit and vegetable consumption among
adolescents. Preventive Medicine, 25 497-505.
52Food Intake Patterns for Adolescents, by ethnicity
Weicha JM, et al. (2001). Differences in dietary
patterns of Vietnamese, White, African-American,
and Hispanic adolescents in Worcester, Mass.
JADA, 101248-251.
53Ethnic differences family meals/week
- Frequency of family meals is positively
associated with intakes of fruits, vegetables,
grains, and calcium-rich foods, and negatively
associated with soft drink intake - Strong positive associations are found between
family meal frequency and intakes of energy
percentage of calories from protein calcium
iron vitamins A, C, E, B-6, folate and fiber - Family meals are most frequent among Asian
American adolescents and least frequent among
African American adolescents
Neumark-Sztainer D, et al. (2003). Family meal
patterns associations with sociodemographic
characteristics and improved dietary intake among
adolescents. JADA, 103(3)317-22.
54Fruit, vegetable and milk intake of high school
students
- Of importance Low percentages across the board
indicate that - recommendations are not being met by all groups
1. CDC Surveillance Summaries, MMWR 2000 49(no.
SS-5)
55Ethnicity affects nutritional status, which can
affect timing of puberty
- Obesity may contribute to earlier onset of
puberty in girls - Strong evidence supports the claim that body fat
is associated with the initiation of the hormonal
events of puberty - Association between obesity and early puberty
varies in degree by ethnicity
56Overweight Prevalence by Ethnicity for
Adolescent Boys and Girls
.
Ogden CL, et al. (2002). Prevalence and Trends in
Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents,
1999-2000. JAMA 2881728-1732.
57Overweight in this study was defined as a BMI
for age that was 95th percentile
Hedley A, et al. (2002) Prevalence of Overweight
and Obesity Among US Children, Adolescents and
Adults. JAMA, 291(23) 2847-50.
58Proportion of adolescents with early, late, or
average age at menarche
Percent of sample
11-13
13
59Prevalence of menses by ethnicity and age
Herman-Giddens ME, et al. (1997). Secondary
Sexual Characteristics and Menses in Young Girls
Seen in Office Practice A Study from the
Pediatric Research in Office Settings Network.
Pediatrics, 99505-512.
60Dieting Practices in Both Male and Female HS
Students, by Ethnicity
Statistics from Calderon L, et al. (2004).
Dieting Practices in High School Students. ADA,
104 1369-74.
61Body weight dissatisfaction, dieting and
disordered eating behaviors vary by ethnicity
CDC Surveillance Summaries. MMWR 200049(No.
SS-5).
62Vietnamese-American Food Intake Patterns during
Adolescence
- Fruit intake of Vietnamese youth was 35.5 and
vegetable intake 15.3 greater than white youth - Dairy product intake of Vietnamese youth was 44
less than white youth (high levels of lactose
intolerance in Asian-American population) - Although their diet was higher in fruit and
vegetables than any other ethnic group, 72 of
Vietnamese adolescents still did not meet the
recommended 5 servings/day1
1. Weisha JM, et al. (2001). Differences in
dietary patterns of Vietnamese, White,
African-American, and Hispanic adolescents in
Worcester, Mass. JADA, 101248-251.
63Asian-Americans and Adolescence
- Ages 13 to 18 overweight prevalence of 20.6
- US-born AA adolescents born are more than twice
as likely to be overweight than foreign born
adolescents who move to the US1 - Foreign-born Asian students in the US report
significant increases in the consumption of fats
and sweets2
- Novotny R, et al. (2003). Calcium Intake of
Asian, Hispanic and White Youth. J Am Coll Nutr,
22(1)64-70. - Lv N, et al. (2004). Dietary Pattern Change and
Acculturation of Chinese Americans in
Pennsylvania. JADA, 104(5) 771-8.
64Hispanic-American Adolescents
- US-born Hispanic-American adolescents are more
than twice as likely to be overweight than
foreign-born adolescents who move to the US - Hispanic-Americans males (12-19y) experience the
highest obesity and overweight prevalence rates
for adolescent males 44.2 and 27.5
respectively
1Novotny R, et al. (2003). Calcium Intake of
Asian, Hispanic and White Youth. J Am Coll Nutr,
22(1)64-70.
65Mean intake of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol
and fiber by participants (12-19y) in the Navajo
Health and Nutrition Survey, 1991-1992, and Zuni
11th and 12th graders
66Native Americans during Adolescence
- Intake of dietary fat and cholesterol current
dietary recommendations - One exception Zuni females' intake of
cholesterol met recommendations - Fiber
- 70 of Zuni males and 80 of Zuni females did not
consume the minimum recommended amount of fiber - Navajo adolescents consumed 15 of total calories
from foods with low nutritional value, such as
soft drinks, candy, desserts, snacks, and added
fat
1. Cole SM, et al. (2001). Dietary intake of
Zuni adolescents. JADA, 101802-806 2. Navajo
Health and Nutrition Survey, 1991-1992
67Zuni Adolescent Dietary Intake
- Of total calories for Zuni males
- sugared drinks accounted for 13
- salty snacks 8
- sweets 3.7
- Of total calories for Zuni females
- sugared drinks accounted for 20.7
- salty snacks 4.1
- sweets 4.9
1. Cole SM, et al. (2001). Dietary intake of
Zuni adolescents. JADA, 101802-806
68Native Americans and Obesity during Adolescence
- Overweight and obesity prevalence varies greatly
by tribal group and region - For Native Americans (5-19y), the Aberdeen area
Indian Health Service reported an overweight
prevalence of 39 for males and 38 for females
69Bodyweight Concerns for the Elderly
- Though obesity is still a major health concern
for the elderly, many struggle with losing too
much weight due to aging or possible illness - CDC researchers found that although both obese
and underweight people are at an increased risk
of premature death, extreme thinness is more
strongly associated with death in people over age
70
70Importance of Nutrition during the Aging Process
- Distinct nutrition-related factors that may
protect against diseae in people who live to be
100y - elevated HDL levels
- decreased platelet activation, which can exert a
protective effect against CVD - high levels of vitamins A and E (potent
antioxidants)
Position of the American Dietetic Association
Nutrition Across the Spectrum of Aging. JADA.
2005 105 616-633.
71Dietary changes associated with aging
- As people age, dietary patterns change
- Quantity of food and energy intake decreases
substantially - Mean energy declines by 1,000 - 1,200 kcal in men
and by 600 - 800 kcal in women between 20y and
80y - Micronutrient intakes decline, especially
calcium, zinc, iron, and B vitamins - In those people 65 years of age and older
assessed in NHANES III indicated that 11 of men
and 10.2 of women were anemic
American Dietetic Association. (2005). Nutrition
Across the Spectrum of Aging. JADA.. 105
616-633.
72Elderly Navajo Population
- Report diets of limited variety
- Diets low in
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Folate
- Calcium
- Compared with Whites (65y), Native
Americans/Alaskan Natives are 2.6 times more
likely to develop diabetes
Findings from the Navajo Health and Nutrition
Survey, 1991-1992
73For more information on the effect of ethnicity
on adult and elderly nutrition, please refer to
the lecture titled The Effect of Ethnicity on
Nutrition and Risk for Chronic Disease in the
United States