Neurosciences

M. Ferry

Service de Gériatrie, Centre hospitalier 26953 Valence, France

Background: adequate vitamin and mineral intake and status are known to play a role to maintain health status in an ageing population.
Objectives: to provide longitudinal information and data on vitamin and mineral intake and status changes in free-living elderly. Special focus will be given to micronutrient intake in relation to cognitive functioning.
Methods: According to the strictly standardised EURONUT-SENECA methodology, a random sample of elderly subjects, born between 1913 and 1918, have been studied in 9 European towns.
Using a mixed longitudinal design, data were collected in 1993 and 1999 including indicators of mental health (Mini-Mental State Examination ( MMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)).The French study also included data collection on dietary intake in Romans, south of France ,using the same standardised protocol over ten years. Besides, data regarding anthropometry, biochemical indicators of nutritional status, health, and lifestyle factors were also collected.
Results: Preliminary results indicated that at age 81-86 y, total dietary intake decreased as compared to 10 year before. At all periods, daily dietary intake was generally low as compared to the recommended daily intake for elderly subjects. Significant correlations between vitamin and mineral intake and mental health were observed in 1993, this could not be established for the final results in 1999 between folates , vitamin B12 levels and cognitive function in the survivers. In Romans, over ten years we found no changes in the ratio vitamin E/ cholesterol .
Vitamin and mineral intake will be studied in relation to health status and lifestyle.
Conclusion: This study gives the opportunity to analyse the relations between vitamin B complex, vitE /cholesterol ratio and global changes in nutritional intake ,for this growing segment of the population and the possible influence of micronutrient intake on health and cognitive function.
Further, these results should help to adapt the dietary guidelines for this category of the population.
(Abstract of a communication to 2nd Congress of International Academy Nutrition & Aging (iana), Albuquerque (NM, USA) July 10-12, 2003