Factors Related to the Dietary Adequacy of Noninstitutionalized Elderly

The dietary intake and factors relating to the dietary intake of 100 noninstitutionalized individuals age 65 and older was assessed. Although mean nutrient intakes for the group were considered adequate, two-thirds of the individual diets were rated inadequate with calcium and vitamin A most likely to be below 67% of the RDA. Vitamin and/or mineral supplementation or total food energy intake had the greatest influence on dietary adequacy while social, economic, and health factors had only a slight influence.