Abstract

The dietary patterns and characteristics of oldest-old subjects over 85 of Sunchang County (total of 171, 61 males and 110 females) were studied. The average age was 90.6 +/- 3.7 years old (male; 89.1 +/- 2.8, female; 91.5 +/- 3.8), and 90.9% of them were reported to have had no schooling experience. Family types having a spouse were much greater in men (50%) than women (1.8%). The percentages of living alone showed the gender differences, which were comprised of 33% of females and 18.3% of males. In this study, 73.7% of subjects answered "very good" or "good" for their health status. These elderly subjects might maintain their health through a relatively lower rate of smoking (22.2%) and drinking (27.5%), having nonsedentary activities (84.2% of the subjects are physically active) and enough sleep. Their characteristic dietary patterns include high preference of rice (96.5%) and blanch & Seasoned vegetable dishes (Namal, 90.6%) frequent consumption of plant-based food groups containing plenty of anti-oxidants such as vegetables and legumes, and they showed high rates of meal regularity (77.2%) and no skipping of meals (94.2%). It seems to be developed and disseminated in the congregate meal program for improving nutritional status of the elderly, since the coming increment of single-elderly family and single dwellers of rural areas.

• Keywords: oldest-old; dietary habit; food preference