Dietary patterns and nutritional assessment in middle-aged and elderly men

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Dietary patterns are crucial for understanding diet-health relationships.
• Adequate nutrient intake across various dietary patterns remains under-researched.
• Focus on middle-aged and elderly men's nutritional status is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between major dietary patterns and nutrient intake in middle-aged and elderly men.
• To examine the relationship between dietary patterns and micronutrient status using Japanese Reference Values (DRIs-J 2010).

Main Methods:

• Principal component analysis of 52 food/beverage items from a diet history questionnaire in 229 men (40-79 years).
• Quantification of micronutrient intake status using a dietary reference intakes score (DRIs-score) for 21 micronutrients.
• Spearman's correlation coefficient used to evaluate associations between dietary patterns and nutrient intake/DRIs-score.

Main Results:

• Three dietary patterns identified: 'side dish', 'evening drink', and 'snack'.
• The 'side dish' pattern (high vegetables, fruits, seaweeds, mushrooms, potatoes; low rice) correlated with all 21 micronutrients.
• Significant positive correlation found between the 'side dish' pattern and the DRIs-score (ρ=0.782, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The 'side dish' dietary pattern is positively associated with the DRIs-score based on DRIs-J 2010.
• This dietary pattern may contribute to a favorable nutrient balance in middle-aged and elderly men.
• Highlights the importance of specific food group consumption for nutritional adequacy.