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Although verbal and written instructions on how to record dietary intake are commonly used in research, little information has been published describing instructional methods or materials. In the New Mexico Aging Process Study, a longitudinal study of nutrition and aging, participants keep a 3-day diet record each year. Classroom instruction and written materials are used in the study, and they were updated for use with Food Intake Analysis System (FIAS), version 2.3. This article describes the instructional methods and materials used to prepare elderly participants to keep accurate diet records; reports the development of a novel instructional tool, the food description flowcharts; and presents participants' opinions of the quality of the instruction and the usefulness of written materials. Included in the written materials were general instructions for recording food intake, examples of completed food intake and recipe forms, hints for eating out, and instructions for easy-to-use electronic scales. The flowcharts guide participants in accurately describing food intake while matching the coding requirements of FIAS. Fifty participants completed a written survey to evaluate the instructions and written materials. More than half of the respondents found the written materials to be very useful. All found the verbal instruction to be excellent or good. Nutritionists observed that records kept by participants who attended the class were generally complete and specific. The findings indicate that participants were satisfied with the instructions and written materials., Dietary patterns of the elderly are important for examining the energy and nutrient intakes and nutritional health of older adults. In the New Mexico Aging Process Study (NMAPS), a longitudinal [...]

Food selection of the healthy elderly may be influenced by life-styles, the food supply, and recommendations related to diet and disease. This study used food group analysis of 3-day diet records to examine red meat, poultry, and fish consumption by free-living, healthy elderly individuals. Dietary data were from 122 women and 97 men (median age = 75 years) who were participants in the New Mexico Aging Process Study in 1984. Mean dietary intake was 1,494 kcal/day for women and 2,079 kcal/day for men--82% and 94% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), respectively. Protein, iron, and selected B vitamins were above 100% of the RDA. Women's mean daily intake of meat/poultry/fish was 87.7 g (52.1 g meat, 23.6 g poultry, 12.0 g fish); men's intake of meat/poultry/fish was 121.2 g (78.4 g meat, 21.2 g poultry, 21.6 g fish). Of the total red meat, more than 50% was beef, 20% was pork/ham, and more than 10% was processed meat. For women, meat/poultry/fish provided 14% of total dietary energy, 37% of protein, 13% to 32% of selected B vitamis and iron, 20% of fat, and 34% of cholesterol. Percentages were similar for men. There was no significant association between age and total dietary intake, but food group consumption had distinct associations with age for women and men. Our findings indicate that a moderate but not excessive intake of meat/poultry/fish made a substantial contribution to nutrient intake. The fat contribution of these food groups could be decreased by emphasizing lower-fat selections of meat, poultry, and fish., An understanding of the dietary patterns, food selection, and nutrient intake of the elderly is important for assessment of possible nutritional risk and for planning and evaluating public health recommendations. [...]

Dietitians and nutritionists are aware of the importance of social and cultural factors in shaping food patterns (1,2). A previous article reported on food intake of children in rural northwestern [...]