Juber Julia, Montez De Sousa Íris Rafaela, Kreher Johanna, Rademacher Christel, Brombach Christine
Department Food and Nutrition Sciences, Hochschule Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences, 41065 Moenchengladbach, Germany.
Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Campus Reidbach, Einsiedlerstrasse 35, 8820 Waedenswil, Switzerland.
Nutrients. 2025 Jan 16;17(2):315. doi: 10.3390/nu17020315.
The global population is undergoing a significant demographic shift characterised by an increasing proportion of older individuals. Healthy aging has become a priority for personal well-being and sustainable healthcare systems, with nutrition playing a pivotal role. However, the rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), malnutrition, and a shift in eating behaviour underscore the need for tailored, effective nutrition communication strategies. This research is intended to provide the basic data needed to support the development of tailored nutritional communication strategies and practices. To investigate these aspects, a cross-national survey about nutrition and nutrition communication was conducted within the framework of the Innovative Training Network SmartAge, focusing on older adults aged 60 years and above in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and France (each 25%; N = 1000 persons). This paper specifically focuses on the development, methodology, and discussion of the survey and aims to investigate the characteristics of the sample in relation to their dietary patterns and food choices within the European context. The analysis identified significant associations between various plant- and animal-based food items and the variables gender, age group, and country. Spanish participants showed a dietary pattern towards the Mediterranean Diet, while German participants showed tendencies towards the Western Diet. Furthermore, the findings revealed that protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, nuts and seeds, legumes, and (whole) grains were infrequently consumed, particularly among German and Swiss participants. This study highlights the need to promote adequate protein intake among older adults, emphasising diverse sources like legumes, nuts and seeds, (whole) grains, and lean meats to support healthy aging. For the development of future nutrition communication strategies, the influence of the specific social, cultural, and traditional factors needs to be considered.
全球人口正在经历显著的人口结构转变，其特征是老年人口比例不断增加。健康老龄化已成为个人福祉和可持续医疗保健系统的优先事项，营养在其中发挥着关键作用。然而，非传染性疾病（NCDs）的增加、营养不良以及饮食行为的转变凸显了制定量身定制的有效营养沟通策略的必要性。本研究旨在提供支持制定量身定制的营养沟通策略和实践所需的基础数据。为了调查这些方面，在创新培训网络SmartAge的框架内，针对德国、瑞士、西班牙和法国60岁及以上的老年人开展了一项关于营养和营养沟通的跨国调查（每个国家占25%；N = 1000人）。本文特别关注该调查的开展、方法和讨论，旨在在欧洲背景下调查样本在饮食模式和食物选择方面的特征。分析确定了各种基于植物和动物的食物项目与性别、年龄组和国家等变量之间的显著关联。西班牙参与者呈现出地中海饮食模式，而德国参与者则表现出西方饮食倾向。此外，研究结果显示，肉类、鱼类、坚果和种子、豆类以及（全）谷物等富含蛋白质的食物摄入较少，尤其是在德国和瑞士参与者中。这项研究强调了促进老年人摄入足够蛋白质的必要性，强调应通过豆类、坚果和种子、（全）谷物以及瘦肉等多种来源来支持健康老龄化。在制定未来的营养沟通策略时，需要考虑特定的社会、文化和传统因素的影响。
