Changes in food and nutrient intake in middle-aged men from 1960 to 1985 (the Zutphen Study)

Abstract

Within the Zutphen Study dietary surveys using the cross-check dietary history method were carried out in 1960, 1965, 1970, and 1985. Of the 872 men aged 40-59 y examined in 1960, 315 participated in all four surveys. In 1985 a small random sample of 51 men aged 40-59 y was also investigated. Between 1960 and 1985 the consumption of bread, potatoes, and edible fats decreased and the consumption of fruits, pastries, nuts, and alcoholic beverages increased in both the aging cohort and in the two independent samples of middle-aged men examined 25 y apart. These changes were accompanied by a substantial decrease in the intake of monounsaturated fat, polysaccharides, and potassium and a substantial increase in animal protein and alcohol. Small changes were observed in the intake of saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary cholesterol, and dietary fiber. Since 1960 some changes in a nutritionally desirable direction were observed but the diet of the Zutphen men in 1985 departs substantially from the guidelines for a healthy diet formulated by The Netherlands Nutrition Council in 1986.

Food Habits and Anthropometric Measurements in a Group of Independent and Institutionalized Elderly People in Spain.

“…No differences were found between sexes. The mean figures we found among the elderly who live at home are less than those of other studies (31,33,34), and our data show a greater consumption by elderly institutionalized persons than by those described by other authors in a similar population (35). However, we believe that these comparisons must be interpreted with caution because the consumption of oils is precisely one of the most difficult to quantify with a dietary questionnaire.…”

“…But it is similar to those described in populations in northern Europe (34,36). Table 3 shows that even though most of those interviewed stated that they eat fruit, a large percentage of them do not consume fruit more than twice a day.…”

Dietary patterns and cognitive function in elderly men in Finland, Italy and the Netherlands

“…Food intake data were collected by the cross-check dietary history method adapted to the local situation (Burke 1947;Alberti-Fidanza et al, 1988;Kromhout et al, 1990; Ra Èsa Ènen et al, 1992).…”

“…Portion sizes of selected foods were estimated by 126 colour photographs of various portion sizes in Finland, by arti®cial examples of different foods in Italy, and by a portable scale in the Netherlands (Bloemberg et al, 1989). The nutrient intake was assessed using computerised versions of the local food tables for the three different countries (Alberti-Fidanza et al, 1988;Kromhout et al, 1990;Ra Èsa Ènen et al, 1992). The interviews were carried out by experienced dietitians and nutritionists in all cohorts.…”

Essential fatty acids and the brain: possible health implications

“…The discovery of the important roles played by FAs prompted investigators to determine their requirements for optimal health [2,34,67]. In the past, n-3 FAs were only classed as essential because of their ability, albeit very limited as compared to n-6 FAs, to ameliorate some classic symptoms of essential fatty acid de®ciency, such as dermatitis [4], growth retardation [162] and reproductive failure [24].…”