Nutrition assessment of the elderly based on results of the SENECA Study "Nutrition and the elderly in Europe"

The SENECA Study "Nutrition and the elderly in Europe" investigates men and women born 1913-1918 in 20 small traditional towns in Europe. At the age of 74-79 years subjective health was satisfactory or good in 95% of 399 men and 93% of 414 women in 6 study towns. In these subjects suboptimal nutritional blood values were virtually nonexistent. Food intake was low in energy and rich in protein and fat. Lowest European recommended dietary allowances were not reached by all subjects. The even higher values recommended as potentially protective factors were not met by a substantial part of subjects with energy intakes below 6.3 MJ/d. Regularity of food intake was high and had increased over 4 years. Living alone did not adversely affect food intake while low economic situation did.