Journal
NUTRIENTS
Volume 14, Issue 19, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/nu14193994
Keywords
older adults; middle-aged; nutrition behavior; dietary pattern; physical activity
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The study found that middle-aged and older adults living in Saudi Arabia have poor dietary patterns and nutritional behaviors. Most of them consume insufficient amounts of fruits, vegetables, and meat, and are not engaged in regular physical activity. Therefore, education and guidance on nutrition are needed to help this population improve their diet and lifestyle.
As people get older, their nutritional status deteriorates, resulting in increased vulnerability to chronic diseases. The adoption of a healthy lifestyle has been linked to improved health throughout the aging process. The current study aimed to assess nutritional behaviors, dietary patterns, and physical activity among middle-aged and older adults in Saudi Arabia. An electronic questionnaire was completed between September and November 2021 by 419 participants aged 45 years and older. Of those, 65% reported that nutrition was important to them and 19% stated that they were consuming a healthy diet. Participants reported consuming an average of around 6 servings/week each of fruit and vegetables, with mean intake scores of 5.92 +/- 0.25 and 5.57 +/- 0.22, respectively. It was reported that around 3 servings/week of red meat, 4 servings/week of poultry, and 1 serving/week of fish were consumed, with mean intake scores of 2.65 +/- 0.13, 4.34 +/- 0.16, and 1.36 +/- 0.08, respectively. Most of the participants (60%) reported being inactive. Middle-aged and older adults living in Saudi Arabia have poor dietary patterns and nutritional behaviors. Education and guidance on nutrition are needed for this population to help them improve their diet and lifestyle.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available