Title VII--Nutrition Program for the Elderly. II. Relationship of socioeconomic factors to one day's nutrient intake.

Food records from 466 participants in the Title VII Nutrition Program for the Elderly were analyzed to determine the relationship of eating at the program site to improvement in dietary intake and to socioeconomic factors. The subjects were divided into three groups: (a) Participants who ate at the meal site on the day of the food record, (b) participants who did not eat there on the day of the food record, and (c) non-participants. Eating at the meal site erased significant differences in dietary intake of nutrients consumed at home related to sex, education, and occupation. Seven nutrients and energy were significantly associated with these factors for both groups of persons not eating at the meal site on the day of the record. However, only sex was related to intake of nutrients (energy, protein, and thiamin) for those eating at the meal site. Women and the socioeconomically disadvantaged benefited the most from the program.