Background: Elderly obese people have higher morbidity and mortality rates than those of normal weight and thus deeper knowledge of the problem of obesity is required in order to establish measures for prevention and correction. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in the energetic ingestion and caloric profile in the diets of elderly patients based on their body mass index (BMI).
Methods: A collective of 127 elderly patients (44 institutionalized and 83 not) from 65 to 89 years of age were studied being grouped as: overweight-obese elderly (BMI > 25 kg/m2) and normal weight elderly patients (BMI < 25 kg/m2). The ingestion of energy and caloric profile of their diets was calculated in both groups by the "precise individual weight" method (in the institutionalized patients) and by the "register of food consumption" (in non institutionalized patients). The data of energetic ingestion were validated by comparison with the energy spent calculated on the basis of weight, age, and the daily activities of each patient.
Results: No significant differences were found between the energetic ingestion of overweight and obese elderly persons and those of normal weight, although the former had a more unbalanced caloric profile, with greater protein contribution and lesser carbohydrate contribution to total calories. It was also found that overweight and obese elderly patients underevaluate their energetic ingestion more than those of normal weight.
Conclusions: The main difference observed between overweight-obese elderly patients with respect to those of normal weight was in the composition of their diets more than in the total energetic consumption.