Journal List > Korean J Community Nutr > v.20(6) > 1038521

Lee: Quality of Nutrient Adequacy and Health-related Quality of life of the Rural Elderly

Abstract

Objectives

In Korea, the percentage of elderly is increasing at an unprecedented rate, and is expected to account for 40% of the population by 2060. This massive demographic change stresses the importance of research on aging as it is necessary to improve the quality of life (QoL) of this population. This study aimed to examine the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the rural elderly and to clarify its association with the nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR).

Methods

A cross-sectional study was performed in S-gun, Chonbuk, a critical agricultural area. The elderly people without abnormal physical functioning composed our study population and the data were collected by personal visits to 336 elderly people aged over 65 years (110 males and 226 females). Subjects were interviewed with questionnaires pertaining to general characteristics and EuroQol (EQ-5D). Nutrient intakes were assessed two days by 24-hours recall method. Subjects were defined as high QOL group if EQ-5D index with Nam's model was above the median.

Results

Generally, EQ-5D index was lower in women than in man, and lower in older subjects than in younger subjects. The percentages of people below the median were 42% (low QoL group) and 58% (high QoL group) were found to be the above the median. The high QoL group had higher NAR, especially for vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and folate. All dimensions in the EQ-5D were affected by NAR of some nutrients and especially anxiety/depression dimension was significantly correlated with NAR of 5 nutrients (protein, calcium, iron, vitamin C and vitamin B1) and EQ-5D scores.

Conclusions

HRQol was significantly reduced in elderly with increasing age and this was more pronounced in women than in man. The NAR of some nutrients were associated with the EQ-5D index, especially anxiety/depression dimension, among rural elderly.

Figures and Tables

Table 1

QOL1) index of the subjects by age and gender

kjcn-20-423-i001

1) QOL index; quality of life index (EQ-5D index) [14]

2) p value of t-test between gender

3) Mean±SD (number of subjects)

4) p value of t-test between age group

*: p < 0.05

Table 2

Distribution of subjects of QOL1) index group by age and gender

kjcn-20-423-i002

1) QOL index; quality of life index (EQ-5D index) [14]

2) p value of chi-square test

3) Number of subjects (%)

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01

Table 3

NAR1) of nutrients of subjects by QOL2) index group

kjcn-20-423-i003

1) NAR; nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR: mean adequacy ratio

2) QOL index; quality of life index(EQ-5D index) [14]

3) Median of EQ-5D index is 0.9338

4) p value of t-test

5) Mean±SD

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01, ***: p < 0.001

Table 4

NAR1) of nutrients of subjects by the degree of mobility

kjcn-20-423-i004

1) NAR; nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR: mean adequacy ratio

2) p value of t-test

3) Mean±SD

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01

Table 5

NAR1) of nutrients of subjects by the degree of self-care

kjcn-20-423-i005

1) NAR; nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR: mean adequacy ratio

2) p value of t-test

3) Mean±SD

**: p < 0.01

Table 6

NAR1) of nutrients of subjects by the degree of usual activities

kjcn-20-423-i006

1) NAR; nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR: mean adequacy ratio

2) p value of t-test

3) Mean±SD

*: p < 0.05

Table 7

NAR1) of nutrients of subjects by the degree of pain/discomfort

kjcn-20-423-i007

1) NAR; nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR: mean adequacy ratio

2) p value of t-test

3) Mean±SD

**: p < 0.01

Table 8

NAR1) of nutrients of subjects by the degree of anxiety/depression

kjcn-20-423-i008

1) NAR; nutrient adequacy ratio; MAR: mean adequacy ratio

2) p value of t-test

3) Mean±SD

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01

Table 9

Correlations between intake of nutrients (% of RNI) and EQ-5D (EuroQol - 5 Dimension) of the subjects

kjcn-20-423-i009

1) EAR % (Estimated average requirement %), RNI (Recommended nutrient intake)

2) Pearson correlation coefficient

*: p < 0.05, **: p < 0.01

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the 2014 Hannam University Research Fund.

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