Individual foods and food group patterns of the oldest old

This study compares the dietary patterns of centenarians (n = 85) with sexagenarians (n = 76) and octogenarians (n = 83). A Daily Diet Diary was developed to code the responses of the 24-hour dietary recalls. Centenarians and octogenarians consumed a more varied (P < 0.05) diet, with higher (P < 0.01) consumption frequencies of milk and grains, and fewer (P < 0.01) skipped breakfasts than sexagenarians. However, centenarians also consumed high fat foods (P < 0.01), such as whole milk and biscuits, and coffee (P < 0.5) more frequently than the two younger cohorts. Several of the variations found in the food patterns among the three age groups may reflect cohort differences, rather than true antecedents for longevity.