Psychosocial and cultural determinants of dietary intake in community-dwelling older adults: A Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity systematic literature review

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Vol. 85; p. 111131
• Main Authors: Poggiogalle, Eleonora, Kiesswetter, Eva, Romano, Mariagrazia, Saba, Anna, Sinesio, Fiorella, Polito, Angela, Moneta, Elisabetta, Ciarapica, Donatella, Migliaccio, Silvia, Suwalska, Aleksandra, Wieczorowska-Tobis, Katarzyna, Pałys, Wiktor, Łojko, Dorota, Sulmont-Rossé, Claire, Feart, Catherine, Brug, Johannes, Volkert, Dorothee, Donini, Lorenzo M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2021; Elsevier Limited; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adults; Age; Age related diseases; Aged; Community-dwelling older adults; Cultural factors; Diet; Dietary intake; distress; Eating; Eating behavior; educational status; Exercise; Food and Nutrition; Food intake; Frailty; Geriatry and gerontology; Heterogeneity; Human health and pathology; Humans; income; Independent Living; Life Sciences; Lifestyles; Literature reviews; Malnutrition; marital status; Mental depression; meta-analysis; Nutrients; Nutrition research; Older people; Physical activity; Psychological stress; Psychosocial and cultural determinants; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Social behavior; Social interactions; Socioeconomic factors; socioeconomic status; Systematic review; Psychosocial and cultural determinants; Community-dwelling older adults; Dietary intake; income; older adult; dietary intake; elderly; marital status; social factor; aged people; educational level; loneliness; eating behavior; food behaviour; knowledge
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2020.111131

Knowledge of factors determining dietary intake is important to develop targeted strategies to prevent malnutrition and age-related diseases. The aim of the present systematic review was to analyze the state of the art regarding the role of social status, cultural aspects, and psychological distress on dietary intake in community-dwelling older adults. A systematic search was performed per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses procedure. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened for predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Thirty-nine studies were included. Seven different groups of psychosocial and cultural determinants were associated with dietary intake. Family structure and living situation (e.g., loneliness, marital status), educational level, and income were the most important determinants associated with dietary choices and eating behavior. Less frequently, social assets, demographic parameters, psychosocial status, and awareness of current dietary recommendations were associated with the quality of the eating pattern. The results of our review indicate heterogeneity of the studies in the field of social and psychological determinants of dietary patterns in older adults, but some important conclusions can be drawn. Further research harmonizing and integrating approaches and methodologies are required to better understand the determinants of dietary intake and the complexity of their interactions. •The results of our review indicate heterogeneity of studies in the field of social, cultural, and psychological determinants of dietary patterns in older adults.•Family structure, living situation, educational level, and income were most consistently associated with the dietary patterns•The DEDIPAC consortium aims to fill these gaps by trying to understand the determinants of dietary and physical activity as well as sedentary behaviors, and translate this knowledge into a more effective promotion of a healthy diet and physical activity