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Assessment of Dietary Intake in Three Cohorts of Advanced Age in Two Countries: Methodology Challenges

  • Original Research
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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Dietary intake information is key to understanding nutrition-related outcomes. Intake changes with age and some older people are at increased risk of malnutrition. Application, difficulties, and advantages of the 24-hour multiple pass recall (24hr-MPR) dietary assessment method in three cohorts of advanced age in the United Kingdom (UK) and New Zealand (NZ) is described.

Participants

The Newcastle 85+ study (UK) recruited a single year birth cohort of people aged 85 years during 2006–7. LiLACS NZ recruited a 10-year birth cohort of Māori (indigenous New Zealanders) aged 80–90 years and a single year birth cohort of non-Māori aged 85 years in 2010.

Measurements

Two 24hr-MPR were conducted on non-consecutive days by trained assessors. Pictorial resources and language were adapted for the New Zealand and Māori contexts. Detailed methods are described.

Results

In the Newcastle 85+ study, 805 (93%) participants consented to the 24-MPR, 95% of whom completed two 24hr-MPR; in LiLACS NZ, 218 (82%) consented and 203 (76%) Māori and 353 (90%) non-Māori completed two 24hr-MPR. Mean time to complete each 24hr-MPR was 22 minutes in the Newcastle 85+ study, and 45 minutes for Māori and 39 minutes for non-Māori in LiLACS NZ. Dietary assessment of participants residing in residential care and those requiring proxy respondents were successfully included in both studies. Most participants (83–94%) felt that data captured by the 24hr-MPR reflected their usual dietary intake.

Conclusions

Dietary assessment using 24hr-MPR was successful in capturing detailed dietary data including information on portion size and time of eating for over 1300 octogenarians in the UK and New Zealand (Māori and non- Māori). The 24hr-MPR is an acceptable method of dietary assessment in this age group.

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Abbreviations

24hr-MPR :

24-hour Multiple Pass Recall

LiLACS NZ :

Life and Living in Advanced Age: A Cohort Study in New Zealand

MDHA :

multi-dimensional health assessment

NZ :

New Zealand

UK :

United Kingdom.

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Acknowledgements

The Newcastle 85+ Study acknowledges the operational support of the North of England Commissioning Support Unit, the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria, local general practitioners and their staff. We thank the research nurses, laboratory technicians, data management and clerical team for their work throughout, as well as many colleagues for their expert advice. Thanks are due especially to the study participants and, where appropriate, their families and carers. LiLACS NZ acknowledges the expertise of the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation, Ngā Matāpuna Oranga Kaupapa Māori Primary Health Organisation, Te Korowai Aroha Trust, Te Rūnanga o Ngati Pikiao, Rotorua Area Primary Health Services, Ngati Awa Research & Archives Trust, Te Rūnanga o Ngati Irapuaia and Te Whanau a Apanui Community Health Centre in conducting the study through the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua. We thank all participants and their Whānau, family for participation, and the local organisations that promoted the study. We thank the Rōpu Kaitiaki: Hone and Florence Kameta, Betty McPherson, Paea Smith, Leiana Reynolds and Waiora Port for their guidance.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    A. Adamson, E. Foster, A. Jones, J. Mathers, J. Collerton, C. Jagger & T. Kirkwood

  2. Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    A. Adamson, E. Foster, A. Jones & J. Mathers

  3. Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence in Healthier Lives, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    A. Adamson, A. Jones & J. Mathers

  4. AGE Research Group, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    K. Davies & A. Granic

  5. School of Food and Nutrition, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand

    C. Wham & K. Redwood

  6. Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    M. Kepa, R. Teh, S. Moyes, K. Hayman &  Ngaire Kerse

  7. School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

    M. Siervo

  8. Lakes District Health Board, Rotorua, New Zealand

    E. Maxted

  9. School of Population Health, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    L. Dyall

Authors
  1. A. Adamson
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  2. K. Davies
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  3. C. Wham
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  4. M. Kepa
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  6. A. Jones
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  7. J. Mathers
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  8. A. Granic
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  9. R. Teh
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  10. S. Moyes
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  16. C. Jagger
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  17. T. Kirkwood
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  18. L. Dyall
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  19. Ngaire Kerse
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ngaire Kerse.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest: All investigators declared no conflict of interest.

Ethical standard: Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Additional information

Sources of Support: LiLACS NZ was supported by a programme and project grant from the New Zealand Health Research Council (09-068. 10–599), a project grant from Nga Pae o te Maramatunga Centre or Māori Research Excellence, University of Auckland. The Newcastle 85+ Study has been funded by the Medical Research Council, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Dunhill Medical Trust and the National Institute for Health Research School for Primary Care. Parts of the work have also been funded by the British Heart Foundation, Unilever Corporate Research, Newcastle University, NHS North of Tyne (Newcastle Primary Care Trust). Mortality data was obtained from NHS Digital.

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Adamson, A., Davies, K., Wham, C. et al. Assessment of Dietary Intake in Three Cohorts of Advanced Age in Two Countries: Methodology Challenges. J Nutr Health Aging 27, 59–66 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1878-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-023-1878-0

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