Dietary intake in a group of independent-living old people in Oslo

Dietary intake (24-h recall), dietary supplementation practice and relative weight (BMI) were investigated in a random sample of 257 independent-living elderly persons above 75 years. The proportion of energy from fat was unfavorably high among women (41.7%), while diet nutrient density was similar for men and women. Mean intakes of vitamin D, thiamin and iron were below recommended levels. Use of a dietary supplement was more common among women (66%) than men (48%). Average daily energy intakes of 6.3 +/- 2.1 MJ in women and 7.3 +/- 2.2 MJ in men were just below the lower limit of the reference interval. Overweight was uncommon, while 14% of the women and 4% of the men had BMI below 18.5 kg/m2; 2% had a BMI below 16. We conclude that low energy intake is the major reason for potential malnutrition in this group of elderly persons; up to 10% may be at risk for energy deficiency, while 2% were chronic energy deficient.