Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Boston, Massachusetts » Jean Mayer Human Nutrition Research Center On Aging » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #242058
Title: Dietary Screening Tool Identifies Nutritional Risk in Older Adults

Author
item BAILEY, REGAN - National Institutes Of Health (NIH)
item MILLER, PAIGE - Pennsylvania State University
item MITCHELL, DIANE - Pennsylvania State University
item HARTMAN, TERRYL - Pennsylvania State University
item LAWRENCE, FRANK - Pennsylvania State University
item SEMPOS, CHRISTOPHER - National Institutes Of Health (NIH)
item SMICIKLAS-WRIGHT, HELEN - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2009
Publication Date: 5/20/2009
Citation: Bailey, R.L., Miller, P.E., Mitchell, D.C., Hartman, T.J., Lawrence, F.R., Sempos, C.T., Smiciklas-Wright, H. 2009. Dietary Screening Tool Identifies Nutritional Risk in Older Adults. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.90:1-7.

Interpretive Summary: No rapid method exists for screening older adults to identify those at nutrition risk. We recently developed a dietary screening tool (DST) that is capable of characterizing dietary patterns but the development and evaluation of a method to score the screening instruments is needed. A simple scoring algorithm was developed for the diet screening tool based on principal component analysis which identified two distinct dietary patterns. The items from the healthier pattern were scored higher for higher reported consumption. The scoring system was successful at identifying older adults in this population who were at nutrition risk. The DST is a simple and practical tool that may help to detect nutritional risk in older adults.

Technical Abstract: Background: No rapid methods exist for screening overall dietary intakes of older adults. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a scoring system for a diet screening tool to identify nutritional risk among community-dwelling older adults. Design: This cross-sectional study of older adults (n=204) who reside in rural areals examined nutrition status through an in-person interview, biochemical measures, and four 24-h recalls that included the use of dietary supplements. Results: The dietary screening tool was able to characterize 3 levels of nutritional risk: at risk, possible risk, and not at risk. Individuals classified as “at nutritional risk” had significantly lower indicators of diet quality (Healthy Eating Index and Mean Adequacy Ratio) and intakes of protein, most micronutrients, dietary fiber, fruit, and vegetables. The at-risk group had higher intakes of fats and oils and refined grains. The at-risk group also had the lowest serum vitamin B12, folate, beta-cryptoxanthin and lutein and zeaxanthin concentrations. The not-at-nutritional-risk group had significantly higher lycopene and beta-carotene and lower homocysteine and methylmalonic acid levels. Conclusions: The dietary screening tool is a simple and practical diet screening tool that can help detect nutritional risk in older adults.