Nutritional status of the elderly in the United States of America, 1971-1974

In the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES I) there were 3,479 persons aged 65-74 years corresponding to 12,773,000 in this age group in the total population. Presented here are major findings on the nutritional status of this age group in respect to 1) dietary intake (based on a 24-hour recall) and dietary frequency, 2) selected biochemical and hematological tests, 3) prevalences of clinical signs associated with deficiencies of nine essential nutrients, and 4) selected anthropometric measurements. These findings will be presented by sex, two racial groups (black and white), and two income groups (poverty index ratio (PIR) below and above unity). Some correlations between clinical signs and dietary intake comparing persons with signs and those without signs are shown. Some trends between dietary intake and biochemical values, on the one hand, and biochemical values and clinical signs, on the other hand, will be touched upon. The findings are discussed in relation to dietary adequacy and nutritional risk of the different subgroups. Some paradoxical results are discussed and the need for urgent research on the so-called secondary or conditioned deficiencies specifically in this age group are pointed out.