Fiber intake and food selection of the elderly in Taiwan

OBJECTIVES: We assessed fiber intakes and determined the major food categories that contribute to dietary fiber intakes in the Taiwanese elderly. We also examined the association between fiber intake and health status. METHODS: Macronutrients, dietary, and crude fiber intakes of 173 elderly men (76.4 ± 0.4 y) and 140 women (76.6 ± 0.4 y) were assessed with 24-h recall. Health status was assessed by the checklist questionnaire. Food was categorized as grain, vegetable, fruit, soy, other legumes, snack, seaweed, nuts, and mushroom groups. RESULTS: The mean dietary and crude fiber intakes by our older population were 8.79 ± 0.24 g/d and 3.30 ± 0.08 g/d, respectively. Significant associations were found between low fiber intakes and swallowing ability in the elderly population. Vegetables, fruits, and grains contributed most (>85%) to dietary fiber intakes for men and women. However, women consumed a greater proportion of fiber from vegetables and a lesser proportion from grain and snacks than did men. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly subjects had remarkably low dietary fiber intakes (g and g/Mcal). Swallowing and chewing ability determined the amount of fiber consumed. Vegetable contributed more than half of dietary fiber intake. The selection of food groups exerted sex-dependent pattern in grains, vegetables, and snacks.