A Sociological Observational Study on Nutrition in Older Italians: Between Tradition and New Models

Purpose of the Study: Nutrition plays a pivotal role in the health status of elderly people. It is known that advancing age, gender and education (proxy of social status) may affect eating habits. The eating habits of Italian older subjects have not however been extensively investigated. The aims of this study were: 1) to describe and compare the eating habits of Italian older subjects (≥ 60 years old) and those of late adults (aged 50 - 59 years); 2) to explore whether and how their eating habits are affected by age and gender; 3) to identify dietary patterns associated with different food and beverage consumption; 4) to describe and compare the BMI of Italian older subjects and of late adults; 5) to explore whether and how their BMI values are affected by age, gender, and social status. Design and Methods: Retrospective population study with data from the 2010 face-to-face multi-purpose survey by ISTAT (Italian National Statistics Institute). Among 48,336 interviewees of all ages, we focused on 19,789 participants of four age groups: 50 - 59 (late adults; n = 6,646), 60 - 69 (n = 5,905), 70 - 79 (n = 4,544) and ≥ 80 (n = 2,694). All participants were community-dwelling and were asked about their eating and drinking habits. Results: Eating habits of elderly Italians were similar to those of late adults (50 - 59 years old), without substantial differences according to age group and gender. We were however able to define three distinct dietary patterns, each characterized by specific food items that were prevalently consumed. Drinking habits were more differentiated, also according to age and gender. BMI of the interviewees showed minor differences among late adults and older subjects, even if young elders (60 - 69) and elders (70 - 79) had a greater propensity to be overweight and obese. Overall, education level emerged as a crucial factor in an increased risk of being underweight, overweight and obese. Implications: Although elderly Italians exhibit some distinct dietary patterns, their eating habits are largely shared with their younger counterparts, which may be due to intergenerational relationships. Proper eating behaviors must therefore be promoted and shared at all ages