Nutritional status of elderly residents in Missouri

Nutritional assessment of white persons over 59 who participated in the 1973 Missouri Nutrition Survey was based upon biochemical measurements, dietary intakes using food frequency histories, anthropometric measurements, and a dental examination. There were three major nutritionally related problems: poor dental health, obesity, and anemia. The mean for DMF, periodental index, and oral hygiene index for males was 20.5, 4.9, and 3.9, respectively; for females, 17.6, 3.6, and 2.5. Over one-half of both sexes were edentulous. Of the women 59% were greater than 119% of desirable weight compared to 22% of the men. Using guidelines from the Ten-State Nutrition Survey, the following percentages of men had low blood levels: 20, hemoglobin and serum iron; 2, plasma vitamin A; 6, plasma carotene; 1, serum vitamin C; and 0, serum albumin. The percent of women with low biochemical levels were: 11, hemoglobin; 10, serum iron; 7, plasma vitamin A; 1, serum vitamin C; and 2, serum albumin. None of the subjects had low or deficient levels of erythrocyte glutathione reductase. One-half of the women compared to one-fifth of the men had consumed diets with one or more nutrients below 67% of the 1974 Recommended Dietary Allowances.