Nutritional Status, Dietary Habits, and Physical Activity in Older Adults from Manta, Manabí

Arencibia Moreno Ricardo; Hernández Gallardo Damaris; Linares Girela Daniel; Linares Manrique Marta

doi:10.3390/foods11233901

Nutritional Status, Dietary Habits, and Physical Activity in Older Adults from Manta, Manabí

Foods. 2022 Dec 3;11(23):3901. doi: 10.3390/foods11233901.

Authors

Arencibia Moreno Ricardo¹, Hernández Gallardo Damaris², Linares Girela Daniel³, Linares Manrique Marta⁴

Affiliations

¹ Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Técnica de Manabí, Portoviejo 130105, Ecuador.
² Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí, Manta 130214, Ecuador.
³ Laboratorio de Antropología Física, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
⁴ Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud de Melilla, Universidad de Granada, 52071 Melilla, Spain.

Abstract

Defining the nutritional status and physical activity level of older adults makes it possible to guide them toward healthy lifestyles.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary habits, nutritional status, and physical activity engagement in older adults living in the city of Manta, Manabí.

Methods: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study of 130 older adults was conducted to determine nutritional status via anthropometry, self-reported frequency of the consumption of foodstuffs, calculation of the healthy eating index (IAS), and physical activity patterns.

Results: Average age was 71.62 ± 4.34 years, whilst 83.07% of participants were at nutritional risk due to being overweight or obese. Dietary habits in males were characterized by the consumption of three meals a day, as well as greater intake of cereals, roots, tubers, and milk and its derivatives, whilst females consumed more fruits and vegetables. Meat was widely consumed, although females consumed more fish and seafood than males. Eggs were hugely popular foods, in contrast to legumes. Pasta was a dietary staple in females. Visible fats and luncheon meats were consumed little. IAS values reflected the "need to change", whilst physical activity engagement was found to be low.

Conclusions: The nutritional status of the present study population was characterized by a tendency toward increasing overweight, particularly amongst females, with the predominance of class 1 obesity, low physical activity, and a healthy eating index requiring change toward more healthy habits.

Keywords: dietary habits; healthy eating index; nutritional status; older adults; physical activity.

Grants and funding

The present research was funded by the “Eloy Alfaro” Secular University of Manabí (Ecuador) as it formed part of the “Eating Habits, Physical Activity, and Health in Reference Populational Groups from the Coastal Region of the Republic of” project report (resolution No. 0178-2017-FCCEE-BMM. ULEAM). This project is included within the line of research “Health, Physical Culture, and Social Services” carried out at the Eloy Alfaro Secular University of Manabí.