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Adherence to dietary guidelines for fruit, vegetables and fish among older Dutch adults; the role of education, income and job prestige

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Little is known about socio-economic differences in dietary intake among older adults. In this study we describe self-reported dietary adherence to the fruit, vegetables and fish guidelines among older Dutch adults and investigate the independent associations of three socio-economic status (SES) indicators with adherence to these guidelines.

Design

Cross sectional data-analyses.

Settings

The Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), the Netherlands.

Subjects

1057 community dwelling older adults, aged 55–85 years.

Measurements

Fruit, vegetable and fish intake was assessed using a short food frequency questionnaire. We measured SES using self-reported levels of education, household income and occupational prestige.

Results

82.5% of the respondents reported to adhere to the fruit guideline, 65.1% to the vegetables guideline, and 31.7% to the fish guideline. After adjustment for confounders and the other two SES indicators, respondents in the lowest education group adhered less often to the vegetables guideline (OR 0.39 (95% CI 0.22–0.70)) compared to those in the highest education group. Respondents in the lowest income group adhered less often to the fruit (0.44 (95 % CI 0.22–0.91) and fish guideline (OR 0.55 (95% CI 0.33–0.91) compared to those in the highest groups. Occupational prestige was not independently associated with adherence any the guidelines.

Conclusion

Selfreported adherence to the fruit, vegetables and fish guidelines among older adults can be improved and particularly in those with a low SES. Education and income have independent and unique contributions to dietary adherence. Future research should investigate potential pathways through which these specific SES indicators influence dietary adherence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences and the EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    S. Coosje Dijkstra, J. E. Neter, I. A. Brouwer & M. Visser

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    M. Huisman & M. Visser

  3. Department of Sociology, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    M. Huisman

  4. Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    M. Huisman

  5. Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Department of Health Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

    S. Coosje Dijkstra

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  1. S. Coosje Dijkstra
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  2. J. E. Neter
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  3. I. A. Brouwer
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  4. M. Huisman
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  5. M. Visser
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Correspondence to S. Coosje Dijkstra.

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Dijkstra, S.C., Neter, J.E., Brouwer, I.A. et al. Adherence to dietary guidelines for fruit, vegetables and fish among older Dutch adults; the role of education, income and job prestige. J Nutr Health Aging 18, 115–121 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-013-0402-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-013-0402-3

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