DIETARY HABITS AND FUNCTIONAL LIMITATION OF OLDER BRAZILIAN ADULTS: EVIDENCE FROM THE BRAZILIAN NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY (2013)

Abstract

Objective: To compare the consumption of selected healthy and unhealthy food groups among elderly Brazilians with daily living activity limitations relative to those with no limitations. Design: Cross-sectional analyses of a nationally representative survey. Setting: The Brazilian National Health Survey, conducted in 2013. Subjects: 11,177 Brazilians aged 60 and over. Results: The prevalence of daily living limitations was 29% (95% CI 27.6,30.5). The consumption of daily meat, beans on a regular basis, and recommended fruit and vegetables intake were 67.1% (95% CI 66.5,68.7), 71.3% (95% CI 69.9,72.8) and 37.3% (95% CI 35.6,39.9), respectively. Compared to those without functional limitation, the consumption of these three food groups was significantly lower among those older adults with functional limitation (Prevalence Ratio = 0.89, 95% CI 0.80,0.98; 0.90, 95% CI 0.82,0.99 and PR 0.86, 95% CI, 0.76,0.96, respectively), independently of age, sex, marital status, living arrangements and education. Level of education showed a strong positive association with fruit and vegetable consumption, and a negative association with bean consumption, a staple diet in Brazil. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for public health policies to increase consumption healthy food consumption among those older adults with functional limitations, especially fruit and vegetable intake among those who have low education levels.