Introduction: Self-perception of economic means may affect dietary choices, diet quality, and health behavior. We examined these associations in the oldest-old men from the highest socioeconomic class.
Methods: The participants in this cross-sectional analysis were the oldest- old home-dwelling men (n = 314, mean age 87 years, range 82-97 years) from the longitudinal Helsinki Businessmen Study cohort. They responded to a postal health and nutrition questionnaire, whereupon dietary intakes were assessed using 3-day food diaries and two diet quality indices. The questionnaire also included items about health, exercise, falls, and economic means.
Results: Higher self-perception of economic means was linearly associated with higher fish intake (p = 0.021), fruit and vegetable intakes (p = 0.027), use of alcohol (p = 0.003), overall diet quality according to IDQ (p = 0.008), self-perceived physical condition (p = 0.002) and inversely associated with body weight (p = 0.011), weight loss (p = 0.008), blood glucose levels (p = 0.020), and falls (p = 0.029).
Conclusion: Self-perception of economic means was associated with dietary choices and physical health even among affluent older men. This information is important, because self-perception of economic means, however real, may affect health and nutrition behavior of older people.
Keywords: Self-perception of economic mean; body weight; diet quality; fruits and vegetables intake; nutrition; oldest old men.