Dietary Intakes of Women's Health Initiative Long Life Study Participants Falls Short of the Dietary Reference Intakes.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional analysis of dietary intake data from a cohort subset.
PubMed 32680817 · doi:10.1016/j.jand.2020.05.001
What was done
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 5,732 older women (mean age 79 ± 7 years; 53.5% non-Hispanic white, 30% non-Hispanic black, 16.5% Hispanic/Latina) from the Women's Health Initiative Long Life Study. Participants completed the General Nutrition Assessment Food Frequency Questionnaire during 2012–2013 (7,875 mailed, 6,095 completed, 5,732 analyzed after excluding implausible energy intakes). Daily intakes of energy, protein, fiber, calcium, folate, potassium, sodium, and vitamins B-12, D, E, and K were calculated and compared to Dietary Reference Intakes and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics guidelines.
What was found
Only 1.7% of participants met the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D, 16.9% met the RDA for vitamin E, and 18.6% met the RDA for calcium. Approximately one-third consumed ≥21 g/day of fiber, 47.0% met potassium guidelines, and 56% met the RDA for protein (0.8 g/kg body weight/day).
Why it matters
These findings identify large shortfalls in the dietary intake of older women relative to reference standards, highlighting specific targets such as vitamin D, calcium, and protein for nutritional interventions.
Limits
Dietary intake was measured via self-administered food frequency questionnaires, which are vulnerable to recall error and misreporting. The study is cross-sectional, lacks clinical outcome measures, and the abstract does not specify whether dietary supplements were included in the total nutrient estimates.
Cited by
- supports The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for daily protein intake for adults in the United States and Canada is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.