Dietary Intake Among Community-Dwelling Adults Aged 55 Years and Older in the Central Division, Fiji

This study aimed to describe dietary intake among adults 55 years and older living in the Central Division of Fiji and identify food sources of energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients.

A retrospective dietary dataset consisting of 171 adults aged 55 and over was collected using the 24 h multiple-pass recall (24 h MPR) and assessed using the Intake24 Fiji smartphone application. Analyses were restricted to 147 participants with complete dietary record data. Energy, macronutrient, and selected micronutrient intakes were assessed against recommended amounts, and nutrient sources were reported for 15 food groups.

Mean daily energy intakes (6.6 MJ/day) were lower than recommended, especially for Those > 70 years (5.3 MJ). The participants had acceptable contributions of energy from fat (28%) and carbohydrates (56%) but lower contributions for protein (13%) than the recommended range (15-25%). The mean protein intake for men and women was 0.68 g/kg/day. More than half of these older adults consumed less than the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) of retinol, thiamin, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, calcium, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc, while vitamin B₆ requirements were met by approximately half of the participants. The primary sources of energy and nutrients were from bread and bakery products, mixed dishes, and sugar-sweetened beverages.

The dietary intakes of older adults in Fiji's Central Division met carbohydrate and fat intake guidelines but were low in protein as well as retinol, thiamin, folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, and minerals such as calcium, iron, manganese, selenium, and zinc; however, approximately half of the participants met the vitamin B6 requirements. These findings highlight the need to improve overall diet quality for older Fijians by increasing the accessibility of nutrient-dense, protein-rich foods and addressing low energy and micronutrient intakes.