Consumption of Alzheimer disease protective nutrients in diets of polish elderly divided into different nutritional status (MNA)

Abstract

Many abnormalities can be observed in the nutrition of elderly people which, as a consequence, lead to occurrence or progression of many already existing diet-dependent diseases. The aim of this work was assessment of nutrients consumption, important for prevention and treatment of diet-dependent diseases and potentially neuropsychological diseases, including Alzheimer disease. The intake of antioxidant vitamins, group B vitamins and polyunsaturated fatty acids in food ratios was assessed among 1001 people over 60 years of age, from Wroclaw and nearby areas, SW Poland. Selected parameters of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism were determined in the blood of surveyed people. A deficit intake of all nutrients was demonstrated in groups distinguished by MNA form. Moreover, it was demonstrated that statistically significant, the lowest amounts of vitamin A, E, C, B6, B12, folates, and many other polyunsaturated fatty acids were consumed by women at risk of malnutrition in comparison with women with an adequate nutritional status. Statistically significant lower biochemical parameters, such as TC, LDL TG and glucose were also demonstrated in the group of women at risk of malnutrition than in the group of women with an adequate nutritional status. Control and supervision of the elderly persons’ nutritional intake constitutes the basis of the assessment of risk of deficiency of particular nutritional components occurrence and negative health effects deriving from it. Poor nutrition of seniors along with longer life, from demographic point of view, induces to search for new efficient health-oriented strategies.