Page 79 - Petelin, Ana, ur. 2021. Zdravje starostnikov / Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
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parison of free sugar intake of older people from central prehrana in zdravje starejših odraslih | nutrition and health of the elderly
Slovenia with recommendations
Andreja Semolič Valič; Nina Mohorko
University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izola, Slovenia
Introduction: Obesity and the associated risks of chronic non-communicable
diseases are important burden to society. To reduce the risk of their occur-
rence, World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that energy intake
(EI) from free sugars (FS) which are energy-rich but nutritionally empty food
is below 10 %. In the elderly population with already increased risk for chron-
ic noncommunicable diseases due to physiological changes in aging, FS intake is
even more important.
Methods: On a sample of 108 elderly with the average age of 66.6±5.3 years
from the wider area of Ljubljana, who assessed themselves as healthy, ba-
sic anthropometric measurements were conducted (body height (BH), body
weight (BW), waist circumfence (WC)) as well as their eating habits were cap-
tured with pre-prepared food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and structured
24-hour diet recall interviews (24h-recall). FS content for each foodstuff was
determined by a verified method according to Louie. EI from FS was based on
the data from FFQ, however due to insufficient data about table sugar and hon-
ey used as sweeteners in FFQ, their contribution was determined from 24h-re-
call data. EI form FS was compared to WHO recommendations. The relation
between EI form FS and risk indicators for chronic non-communicable diseases
(body mass index, BH, WC, WC/BH) determined from anthropometric data
was assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation.
Results: Majority of participants (57.4 %) exceeded WHO recommendations
about 10 % EI from FS. Average daily EI form FS was 14.1±10.2 %, main sources
of FS were chocolate with 23 % contribution of FS, candy with 16 % contribu-
tion of FS and fruit juice with 12 % contribution of FS. Statistical analysis show
that there is no correlation between EI from FS and analysed risk indicators for
chronic non-communicable diseases. However, both WC (87.2±10.6 cm for fe-
male, 101.0±8.6 cm for male) and WC/BH (0.54±0.07 for female, 0.59±0.05
for male) indicate on an elevated risk for chronic noncommunicable diseases
among the participants in the study, male participants having higher risk than fe-
male participants, nevertheless that the EV from FS was lower by male partici-
pants (12.5±8.0 %) than female participants (14.8±10.9 %).
Discussion and conclusion: The finding that more than half of participants ex-
ceeded WHO recommendation about FS intake is worrying both from the EI
itself as well as from the fact that consumed FS are energy dense food with low
content of nutrients, important for balanced diet of elderly. As the participants
assess their lifestyle as healthy, we found it is important to raise awareness of
healthy food choices for older people.
Keywords: elderly, free sugar, WHO recommendation
77
Slovenia with recommendations
Andreja Semolič Valič; Nina Mohorko
University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izola, Slovenia
Introduction: Obesity and the associated risks of chronic non-communicable
diseases are important burden to society. To reduce the risk of their occur-
rence, World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that energy intake
(EI) from free sugars (FS) which are energy-rich but nutritionally empty food
is below 10 %. In the elderly population with already increased risk for chron-
ic noncommunicable diseases due to physiological changes in aging, FS intake is
even more important.
Methods: On a sample of 108 elderly with the average age of 66.6±5.3 years
from the wider area of Ljubljana, who assessed themselves as healthy, ba-
sic anthropometric measurements were conducted (body height (BH), body
weight (BW), waist circumfence (WC)) as well as their eating habits were cap-
tured with pre-prepared food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) and structured
24-hour diet recall interviews (24h-recall). FS content for each foodstuff was
determined by a verified method according to Louie. EI from FS was based on
the data from FFQ, however due to insufficient data about table sugar and hon-
ey used as sweeteners in FFQ, their contribution was determined from 24h-re-
call data. EI form FS was compared to WHO recommendations. The relation
between EI form FS and risk indicators for chronic non-communicable diseases
(body mass index, BH, WC, WC/BH) determined from anthropometric data
was assessed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation.
Results: Majority of participants (57.4 %) exceeded WHO recommendations
about 10 % EI from FS. Average daily EI form FS was 14.1±10.2 %, main sources
of FS were chocolate with 23 % contribution of FS, candy with 16 % contribu-
tion of FS and fruit juice with 12 % contribution of FS. Statistical analysis show
that there is no correlation between EI from FS and analysed risk indicators for
chronic non-communicable diseases. However, both WC (87.2±10.6 cm for fe-
male, 101.0±8.6 cm for male) and WC/BH (0.54±0.07 for female, 0.59±0.05
for male) indicate on an elevated risk for chronic noncommunicable diseases
among the participants in the study, male participants having higher risk than fe-
male participants, nevertheless that the EV from FS was lower by male partici-
pants (12.5±8.0 %) than female participants (14.8±10.9 %).
Discussion and conclusion: The finding that more than half of participants ex-
ceeded WHO recommendation about FS intake is worrying both from the EI
itself as well as from the fact that consumed FS are energy dense food with low
content of nutrients, important for balanced diet of elderly. As the participants
assess their lifestyle as healthy, we found it is important to raise awareness of
healthy food choices for older people.
Keywords: elderly, free sugar, WHO recommendation
77
