Relationship between Adherence to the 2019 Canada’s Food Guide Recommendations on Healthy Food Choices and Nutrient Intakes in Older Adults

Following Canada’s food guide (CFG) recommendations should ensure adequate nutrient intakes. Older adults have increased needs for certain nutrients and nutrient density; the extent to which adherence to CFG recommendations can help reduce inadequate nutrient intakes is unknown. We aimed to assess the relationship between adherence to CFG recommendations on healthy food choices and intake of key nutrients in adults 65 y and older from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 - Nutrition. Secondary analysis of data from 4093 older adults of the Canadian Community Health Survey 2015 - Nutrition (mean age, 73.6 y, 54% females). Dietary intakes were measured using an interviewer-administered 24-h dietary recall, including 1 repeat in a subsample (42%). The National Cancer Institute multivariate method was used to estimate usual (i.e., long-term) dietary intakes. Adherence to CFG recommendations was measured using the Healthy Eating Food Index (HEFI)-2019 score. Simple linear and logistic regression models estimated the effect of increased HEFI-2019 score on usual nutrient intakes and the prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes (i.e., below the estimated average requirements), respectively. Compared with the prevalence of inadequate intakes at median HEFI-2019 score (46.4/80 points), a higher HEFI-2019 (+11 points) was associated with reductions in the prevalence of inadequate intakes of magnesium, vitamin B6 and protein [–19.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): –30.8, –8.9), –12.7% (95% CI: –22.5, –3.0), and –4.7% (95% CI: –9.4, –0.1), respectively]. In contrast, data for higher HEFI-2019 scores were compatible with increased prevalence of inadequate intakes of folate, vitamin D, and calcium [4.0% (95% CI: –8.4, 16.3), 2.6% (95% CI: 1.1, 4.0), and 2.3% (95% CI: –3.0, 7.5), respectively]. Based on dietary intakes of Canadian older adults in 2015, increasing the degree of adherence to CFG recommendations on healthy food choices may reduce nutrient intake inadequacy for most key nutrients except folate, vitamin D, and calcium.