McIntosh W A, Kubena K S, Walker J, Smith D, Landmann W A
Department of Rural Sociology, Texas A & M University, College Station 77843.
J Am Diet Assoc. 1990 May;90(5):671-6.
Data were collected from home interviews of 424 noninstitutionalized individuals, 58 to 100 years old, in the Houston metropolitan area, to assess the relationships between dietary intake, socioeconomic variables, beliefs about nutrition, and use of nutritional supplements. Two-thirds of the subjects took nutritional supplements. The most common forms were vitamin C, calcium, and multivitamins. With the exception of vitamin B-6, magnesium, and dietary fiber, which were higher in diets of users of nutritional supplements than in diets of nonusers, nutrient density (amount of nutrient per 1,000 kcal) did not differ between the two groups. Attitudes toward the use of nutritional supplements, health foods, and/or nutritional quality of conventional foods differed with sex, age, income, and educational level. Nutrient intake of those with more positive feelings about nutritional supplements was higher, perhaps as a result of increased awareness of diet and health. Nutrition education that is targeted to issues of interest to people in this age group is needed; topics such as the role of nutrients in disease prevention and appropriate nutritional supplementation might be explored. This survey indicates that, although the practice of supplementation may be beneficial to augment nutritional quality of the diet for elderly people, use of nutritional supplements is not restricted to those whose dietary intake is of lower nutrient density than that of nonusers.
研究人员对休斯顿大都市地区424名年龄在58至100岁之间的非机构化个体进行了家访，以评估饮食摄入、社会经济变量、营养观念与营养补充剂使用之间的关系。三分之二的受试者服用营养补充剂。最常见的形式是维生素C、钙和多种维生素。除了维生素B-6、镁和膳食纤维在营养补充剂使用者的饮食中含量高于非使用者的饮食外，两组之间的营养素密度（每1000千卡热量中的营养素含量）并无差异。对营养补充剂、健康食品和/或传统食品营养质量的态度因性别、年龄、收入和教育水平而异。对营养补充剂感觉更积极的人的营养摄入量更高，这可能是由于对饮食和健康的认识提高所致。需要开展针对该年龄组人群感兴趣问题的营养教育；可以探讨诸如营养素在疾病预防中的作用以及适当的营养补充等主题。这项调查表明，虽然补充营养的做法可能有助于提高老年人饮食的营养质量，但营养补充剂的使用并不局限于那些饮食营养素密度低于非使用者的人。
