Food choice among homebound older adults: motivations and perceived barriers.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to identify: motivations and perceived barriers associated with food choices made by homebound older adults; whether motivations and perceived barriers vary according to social demographic characteristics; and whether motivations and perceived barriers are associated with dietary quality.

Design: This was an observational study using standard interview methods where participants were administered a questionnaire and completed three 24-hour dietary recalls.

Setting: Participants were interviewed in their homes.

Self-reported versus measured weight and height in an older adult meal program population.

Background: Self-reported weight and height are used to compute ponderal indices in studies where it is impractical to obtain objectively measured data. Little is known about the associations between self-reported and measured weight and height in older adults.

Methods: Participants in congregate and home-delivered meal programs in a rural Wisconsin county recorded their height and weight on a questionnaire as part of a study on nutritional risk and quality of life.

Risk indicators for malnutrition are associated inversely with quality of life for participants in meal programs for older adults.

Objective: To evaluate the nature and strength of associations between quality of life and factors commonly linked with malnutrition in participants in a meal program for the elderly.

Design: A questionnaire that assessed quality of life, nutritional risk, quality of health, depression, social satisfaction, functional status, food security, and food enjoyment was administered.

Subjects/setting: All persons aged 60 years and older enrolled in the Title III-C meal program in Pepin County, Wisconsin, during a 1-month period were asked to participate.

Screening for risk of malnutrition in Wisconsin's elderly.

In older adults, nutritional status is related to chronic disease risk, ability to maintain independent lifestyles, and rate and duration of hospitalizations. Significant numbers of American elders are either malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Data from a recent survey of 21,000 Wisconsin participants in home-delivered or congregate meals 60 years of age and older indicated that in this group, over one fourth were at high risk for malnutrition.