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Nutritional, immunological and health status of the elderly population living in poor neighbourhoods of Quito, Ecuador

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2007

Fernando Sempértegui ,
Bertha Estrella ,
Negar Elmieh ,
Michael Jordan ,
Tanvir Ahmed ,
Alicia Rodríguez ,
Katherine L. Tucker ,
Davidson H. Hamer ,
Philip G. Reeves  and
Simin Nikbin Meydani
Fernando Sempértegui*
Affiliation:
Corporación Ecuatoriana de Biotecnología, Ave. Colón 1468 y Nueve de Octubre. Of. 508, Quito, Ecuador
Bertha Estrella
Affiliation:
Corporación Ecuatoriana de Biotecnología, Ave. Colón 1468 y Nueve de Octubre. Of. 508, Quito, Ecuador
Negar Elmieh
Affiliation:
Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer/USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA, USA
Michael Jordan
Affiliation:
The Division of Geographic Medicine and Infectious Disease, Tufts – New England Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
Tanvir Ahmed
Affiliation:
Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer/USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA, USA
Alicia Rodríguez
Affiliation:
Corporación Ecuatoriana de Biotecnología, Ave. Colón 1468 y Nueve de Octubre. Of. 508, Quito, Ecuador
Katherine L. Tucker
Affiliation:
Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer/USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA, USA
Davidson H. Hamer
Affiliation:
Center for International Health and Development, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
Philip G. Reeves
Affiliation:
USDA, ARS, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA
Simin Nikbin Meydani*
Affiliation:
Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer/USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston, MA, USA
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Simin Nikbin Meydani, fax +1 617 556 3224, email simin.meydani@tufts.edu, and Dr Fernando Sempe´rtegui, fax 593-2-2520638, email fersempert@andinanet.net
*Corresponding author: Dr Simin Nikbin Meydani, fax +1 617 556 3224, email simin.meydani@tufts.edu, and Dr Fernando Sempe´rtegui, fax 593-2-2520638, email fersempert@andinanet.net
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Abstract

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The number of elderly people is increasing in less-developed countries. Although nutritional deficiencies and infectious diseases are generally more prevalent in resource-poor countries, the health and nutritional status of the elderly in South America in general, and in Ecuador, in particular, remains largely unstudied. The objective of the present study was to assess the nutritional, immunological and health status of elderly Ecuadorians. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate a sample of elderly Ecuadorians with 24 h dietary recalls, biochemical and anthropometric measurements, delayed type hypersensitivity skin response and a health questionnaire. The 145 elders who enrolled had a mean age of 74·3 (sd 6·9) years. Of the subjects, 52 % exhibited BMI ≥25 kg/m2, whereas 9·1 % had BMI ≤20 kg/m2. Means of dietary intakes were below recommendations for most nutrients; exceptions were carbohydrate, fat, Fe and Se. Serum nutrient levels indicated that 50, 44, 43, 19 and 18 % of participants had deficiencies of Zn, Fe, vitamins B12 and D, and folate, respectively. The mean number of positive responses to seven recall antigens was 2·1 (sd 1·7) with an induration diameter of 9·9 (sd 7) mm, which are substantially lower than those reported for elders in developed countries. During the previous 6 months, 54 and 21 % of subjects reported at least one episode of respiratory infection or diarrhoea, respectively. Of these, 47 % sought care at a hospital or from a physician and 96 % from a relative or friend. In conclusion, while few elderly Ecuadorians were underweight, obesity was common. Micronutrient deficiencies were prevalent and may contribute to reduced immunological responses in this population.

Keywords

ElderlyImmune senescenceLess-developed countriesMicronutrientsBody mass index
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 96 , Issue 5 , November 2006 , pp. 845 - 853
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2006

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