Evaluation of energy intake estimated by a diet history in three free-living 70 year old populations in Gothenburg, Sweden.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the credibility of estimates of energy intake from a Diet History (DH) by cut off limits for the multiple of energy intake and basal metabolic rate (EI/BMRest) and by physical activity levels (PAL, total energy expenditure = TEE/BMR).

DESIGN

Cohort study.

SETTING

Departments of Geriatric Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, Göteborg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.

SUBJECTS

369 males and 440 females from three representative cohorts of free-living individuals from the gerontological and geriatric population studies--H70.

RESULTS

Man values for EI/BMR(est) was 1.50 and 1.60 in males and 1.48 and 1.49 in females according to Schofield, Schofield and James (1985) and DHSS 41 (1991), respectively. A significant trend was seen when the sample was stratified at different levels of EI/BMR(est) with higher body weight, lower EI, higher proportion of energy from protein and lower of proportion energy from fat in the group with the lower values of EI/BMR(est). A significant difference was shown regarding food choice expressed as proportion of energy from ten defined food groups with respect to different EI/BMR(est) values. Lean body mass (LBM) by bioelectric impedance (BIA) correlated well with BMR according to DHSS 41 (1991), 0.90 for males and 0.87 for females.

CONCLUSION

Energy intake was underreported with the DH method--especially in over-weight individuals. Reported food choice varied with EI/BMR values. EI/BMR(est) limits are useful for detecting underestimation of habitual energy intake.