Journal Article

Diet quality and social support: Factors associated with serum carotenoid concentrations among older disabled women (the Women's Health and Aging Study)

Ferrucci, L., Fried, L.P., Semba, R.D., Bandeen-Roche, K., Simonsick, E.M., Guralnik, J.M., Nicklett, Emily Joy, Szanton, S.

2012

Overview

This study investigated the relationship between social support (including instrumental support, emotional support, social interaction, social space, and family networks) and diet quality, as indicated by serum carotenoid levels. The sample consisted of participants in the Women's Health and Aging Study with longitudinal carotenoid data (n=325). We performed regression analyses using baseline indicators of social support and changes in social support to determine whether baseline levels and/or change in levels of social support predict changes in serum carotenoid levels. Social support changes were measured over 1 year from baseline to follow-up round 1. Carotenoid level changes were established from follow-up round 1 to round 2. To determine whether or not regression to the mean was driving these results, we performed an analysis that included baseline and change levels of social support indicators. At baseline, the frequency of leaving one's home was associated with a decrease in carotenoid levels. Leaving one's home more frequently predicted an increase in carotenoid levels and attending fewer activities predicted a decrease in carotenoid levels. In older, community-resident disabled women, baseline levels of social support did not consistently predict diet quality. However, change in social support predicted both positive and negative change in diet quality and thus provides supportive evidence that social activity and family interaction may play meaningful roles in the maintenance of diet quality among functionally compromised older women. Further research is necessary to more fully understand the impact of multiple forms of social supports on the diet quality of older adults.

• Publisher: Elsevier Masson SAS,Springer-Verlag,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aged / Aged, 80 and over / Aging / Aging - blood / Aging - psychology / Baltimore / Biological and medical sciences / Cardiovascular disease / Carotenoids / Carotenoids - analysis / Carotenoids - blood / Diet / Diet - adverse effects / diet quality / Disabled Persons - psychology / elderly / Feeding. Feeding behavior / Female / Follow-Up Studies / Fruit - chemistry / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Geriatric Assessment / Geriatrics/Gerontology / Humans / Independent Living / Longitudinal Studies / Medicare / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Neurosciences / Nutrition / Nutrition Assessment / Nutrition research / nutritional adequacy / Older people / People with disabilities / Primary Care Medicine / Public health / Quality of Life Research / Regression Analysis / social change / social environment / Social interaction / Social isolation / Social Participation / Social Support / United States / Urban Health / Vegetables - chemistry / Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems / women / Womens health