International Journal of Preventive Medicine (Int J Prev Med)2008-780210102020020921822182ENDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, IsfahanDepartment of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, ShirazDepartment of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan20200209<p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Background</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">Nutrient deficiency such as antioxidants is a common problem in the elderly; it<br />can result in different diseases such as cancer. Accordingly, assessment of the dietary intake of<br />antioxidants is necessary to design a specific plan for solving this problem. </span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Methods</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">This case–<br />control study was conducted on 152 old people (≥60 years) with and without nursing care in<br />nursing care centers in Isfahan, Iran, in 2017. Nutritional assessment was performed by an expert<br />nutritionist using semi‑quantitative validated Food Frequency Questionnaire. Nutrition IV software<br />was used as food analyzer. Analysis of covariance and independent </span><span class="fontstyle3">t</span><span class="fontstyle2">‑test were used for data analysis.<br /></span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Results</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">The mean age of the participants was 68.6 ± 4.9 and 68.9 ± 6.1 years in case and control<br />groups, respectively, and the percentage of male/females in these groups was 46.3%/53.7% and<br />51.4%/48.6%, respectively. Dietary intake of energy, vitamin E, and selenium was significantly<br />higher (</span><span class="fontstyle3">P </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 0.041; 0.007; 0.017) while beta‑carotene intake was significantly lower in the elderly<br />under nursing care than in the control (</span><span class="fontstyle3">P </span><span class="fontstyle2">= 0.002). </span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0"><strong>Conclusions</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle2">The findings indicated that nursing<br />care leads to improved intake of energy, vitamin E, and selenium, while diminished beta‑carotene<br />intake in the elderly. Intake of vitamin E, A, C, zinc, and selenium was high among elderly people<br />with and without care, compared with the dietary reference intake. It seems that further studies are<br />required to confirm these findings.<br /></span></p><p><span class="fontstyle0" style="color: #00652e;"><strong>Keywords</strong>: </span><span class="fontstyle3">Antioxidants, diet, elderly, energy intake, Iran</span></p>http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/view/2182http://ijpm.mui.ac.ir/index.php/ijpm/article/download/2182/717717978