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Food consumption and multimorbidity among non-institutionalized elderly people in Pelotas, 2014: a cross-sectional study * * Article derived from a Nutrition Degree course conclusion assignment by Bruna Padilha Pereira, at the Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. The data used were provided by the Guided Master’s Degree Consortium for Valuing Care of the Elderly (‘COMO VAI?’ study), conducted between January and August 2014, within the Federal University of Pelotas Epidemiology Postgraduate Program. The study received funding from the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel / Ministry of Education, via its Academic Excellence Program (PROEX No. 1,107/2013).

Abstract

Objective

to analyze association between diet quality and multimorbidity among elderly individuals.

Methods

this was a cross-sectional study of elderly people aged 60 years or older in Pelotas, RS, Brazil, 2014; food consumption was assessed using an abridged Food Frequency Questionnaire; diet quality according to the diet quality index (DQI-E) and scores given to food items; multimorbidity (≥5 diseases) was self-reported; Poisson Regression was used to obtain crude and adjusted prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results

1,426 elderly people were included; men who consumed wholefoods (1 to 6 days) were more likely to have multimorbity (PR=1.64 95%CI 1.21;2.23]); those who ate meat at least weekly were less likely to have multimorbity (PRmen=0.68 95%C I0.51;0.92]; PRwomen=0.70 95%CI 0.61;0.81); no association was found between DQI-E and multimorbidity.

Conclusion

although consumption of most foods was not associated with multimorbidity, the results have produced reflections about dietary habits that are pertinent for discussion by health service managers

Food Consumption; Chronic Disease; Elderly; Cross-Sectional Studie

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