Association of Food Consumption According to the Degree of Processing and Sociodemographic Conditions in Older Adults

Several factors can impact food consumption in older adults, including those of sociodemographic, physiological, and chronic non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association of food consumption according to its degree of processing with sociodemographic conditions in community-dwelling older adults. Food intake was evaluated from 24-h recall data. All food items were classified according to the degree of processing into four groups as follows: in natura or minimally processed, culinary ingredients, processed, and ultra-processed foods. Food groups were considered dependent variables in a quantile regression model, adjusting for sex, age, schooling, ethnicity, and number of residents. Women and individuals with higher levels of education had lower consumption of in natura or minimally processed foods and higher consumption of ultra-processed foods. The yellow or indigenous ethnicity presented the lowest consumption of processed foods; older people who lived with three or more individuals had the highest consumption of culinary ingredients, whereas the older people who lived with one to two people had the highest consumption of processed foods and the lowest consumption of ultra-processed. These groups may be the target of educational and public policies to improve diet quality and contribute to quality of life in older ages.