Nutrition and aging: nutritional status of "apparently healthy" elderly (Dutch nutrition surveillance system)

In a nationwide survey the nutritional status was assessed of 539 apparently healthy, independently living elderly aged 65-79 years. Anthropometric data showed no energy deficits. The prevalence of anemia was 4 and 1% among men and women, respectively. Many elderly showed a low level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in plasma (less than 31 nmol/L: men 35%; women 43%), indicating a marginal status. Although the prevalence of low blood levels of folate, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, and total carotenoids was higher among the elderly than among younger adults, clear (clinical) signs of nutritional deficiencies were not observed. Prevalence of obesity (13%), hypercholesterolemia (38%), and hypertension (63%) was found to be high, the percentages being higher for women than for men. Several indicators of the nutritional status appeared to differ among age groups. It is concluded that few differences can be considered as being due to physiological aging, which finding should be reflected in reference values for elderly people.     

Clustering of dietary variables and other lifestyle factors (Dutch Nutritional Surveillance System).

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to investigate whether dietary factors cluster in a favourable or unfavourable way and to characterise the groups identified by lifestyle and sociodemographic variables. DESIGN AND SETTING--This cross sectional study was based on data of the 1987-1988 Dutch national food consumption survey (DNFCS), obtained from a panel by a stratified probability sample of the non-institutionalised Dutch population. PARTICIPANTS--3781 adults (1802 males and 1979 females) of the DNFCS, aged 19 to 85 years, were studied. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--To estimate dietary intake two day food records were used. Lifestyle factors were collected by structured questionnaire and sociodemographic variables were available from panel information. Cluster analysis was used to classify subjects into groups based on similarities in dietary variables. Subsequently, these groups were characterised by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors as well as by the consumption of food groups. Eight clusters were found. In comparison with the guidelines, the dietary quality in four clusters was poor. The cluster with the poorest dietary intake (high intake of fat, cholesterol, and alcohol; low intake of dietary fibre) showed on average a high consumption of animal products (except milk), fats and oils, snacks, and alcoholic beverages, and a low consumption of fruit, potatoes, vegetables, and sugar rich products. Smoking, body mass index, dietary regimen on own initiative, hours of sleep, gender, age, socioeconomic status, and day of the week were found to discriminate among the clusters. CONCLUSIONS--Cluster analysis resulted in substantial differences in mean nutrient intake and seems useful for dietary risk group identification. Undesirable lifestyle habits were interrelated in some clusters, but an exclusive lifestyle for health risk has not been found.     

荧光原位杂交技术分析人结肠菌群方法研究

建立荧光原位杂交技术分析人体内结肠菌群的方法。取受试者新鲜粪便 ,选用 5种特异性的 16SrRNA寡核苷酸探针 ,检测粪便样本收集后的保存时间、温度 ,离心条件及样本固定液存放时间对杂交计数结果的影响。结果建立最佳实验条件为 :粪便样本收集后应尽快在 4℃下保存 ,放置时间不要超过 12小时即作处理 ;样本的适宜离心条件为 70 0g 2分钟 ;样本用多聚甲醛固定后在 - 80℃下存放时间不要超过 5个月。该方法具有较好的稳定性 ,可以有效地检出个体之间结肠菌群的差异。