Background: Little research has been done to understand the diet quality of older adults and even less is known about the impact of weight-loss interventions on diet quality in older adults.Methods: A randomized sample of 38 overweight, older adults in a diet or non-diet intervention group completed a 6-month weight loss intervention. Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores were calculated using average nutrient and food group count reports from 24-hour diet recalls using NDSR 2017 software at pre, midpoint, and post-intervention using the National Cancer Institute population ratio methods. A paired sample t-test and an independent t-test were performed to compare HEI scores in the diet and non-diet groups using SPSS software. Results: There was a significant difference in HEI scores from pre (M=51.58, SD=10.93) to post (M=59.34, SD=8.77) in the DIET group ; t(17)= [-3.29], p=[.004]. There was not a significant difference in HEI scores from pre to post in the non-diet group. At the end of the study, there was a significant difference in the scores for DIET (M=59.34, SD= 8.77) and NON-DIET (M= 42.12, SD= 7.08) groups; [t(37)=6.79, p = .000], which represents a large effect r = .74. Discussion: This may raise future implications for weight loss intervention practices for dietitians and health professionals and the growing need for more RDs to support older adults in weight loss intervention. Weight loss intervention and improvement of diet quality even with caloric restriction in older adults.
Authors: Audrey Bailey, Layan Assadia, Oscar Campos Ortiz, Medha Murali, Cassidy Hanner, Kyle Timmerman, PhD, M. Elizabeth Miller, PhD, RD, LD,
Advisor: M. Elizabeth Miller, PhD, RD, LD, Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health
You must be logged in to post a comment.