Dietary Intakes of Community-Dwelling Adults in the United States across Older Adulthood: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-March 2020

Background: Dietary guidance is set on the basis of age and life stage and defines older adults as >60 y. Yet, little is known about if and/or how diet quality differs beyond the age of 60. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the dietary intakes of 60-69 (n = 2079), 70-79 (n = 1181), and 80+ y old (n = 644) noninstitutionalized men and women in the United States using the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI) and the What We Eat in America food categories. Methods: Data were obtained from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2016 and 2017-March 2020. HEI and component scores were calculated using the population ratio method. Population estimates for dietary intake were calculated as the average reported over 2 separate nonconsecutive 24-h dietary recalls. Results: In men and women, the reported energy intake was lower among the 80+ y olds (kcal/d men-80+: 1884 +/- 30, 70-79: 2022 +/- 33, 60-69: 2142 +/- 39; women-80+: 1523 +/- 36; 70-79: 1525 +/- 33, 60-69: 1650 +/- 25; P -trend < 0.001). Total HEI scores did not differ significantly across the 3 age categories, but the 80+ y olds had significantly lower scores for the green vegetables and beans component than the 60-69 y olds [men-mean (95% confidence interval): 2.0 (1.5, 2.5) compared with 3.4 (2.6, 4.1); women-2.3 (1.8, 2.8) compared with 4.4 (3.7, 5.0)]. In women, the percentage of daily calories from protein was significantly lower in the 80+ y olds than in the 60-69 and 70-79 y olds (12.9% +/- 0.6%, compared with 17.0% +/- 0.9% and 15.6% +/- 0.6%, respectively). Protein intake did not differ significantly among the 3 age groups in men. The 80+ y old men and women reported consuming a significantly higher percentage of calories from snacks and sweets compared with the 60-69 y olds (men-80+: 18.1% +/- 0.8%, 60-69: 15.4% +/- 0.7%; women-80+: 19.6% +/- 0.8%, 60-69: 15.5% +/- 0.7%). Conclusion: The diet of 80+ y olds differed from that of 60-69 y olds in some key components, including energy, snacks and sweets, protein, and green vegetables. Future research is needed to determine if there are health -related consequences to these differences.