Habitual alcohol consumption and nutritional status of the elderly

The interrelationship between habitual alcohol consumption, dietary intakes and vitamin status was examined in 393 elderly subjects (188 men, 205 women, age range 65-90 years) resident in seven retirement homes throughout Italy. Individual food intake was assessed by the 7-day precise weighing method. Fasting blood was tested for riboflavin (erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient), thiamine (erythrocyte transketolase activity), retinol (fluorimetry) and folic acid status. Alcohol contributed on average 12 per cent of total energy intake in men, and 6 per cent in women. Forty-eight per cent of males and 39 per cent of females were classified as heavy drinkers (HD) with 48 and 28 g/d average alcohol intakes respectively. There was a general tendency for women to add alcohol to their habitual diet, as revealed by the positive correlation between total energy intake and alcohol intake. The higher energy intakes of HD women were also reflected in their higher body weights. Men tended to displace food energy partially by alcohol. Dietary risk of malnutrition, high for vitamin A, and moderate to low for vitamins B1 and B2, did not increase with alcohol consumption. Biochemical evidence of malnutrition indicated a significant deterioration of folate status in HD of both sexes, and for B1 in HD males only; there was no change in riboflavin status. Plasma levels of retinol were higher, and prevalence of vitamin A deficiency lower, in HD, a finding that warrants further investigation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)