APPLICABILITY OF DIET QUALITY ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS IN THE OLDEST-OLD: AMPAL STUDY

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the applicability of the 2006 Brazilian Ministry of Health food guide questionnaire Como ter uma alimentação saudável (QGAS — How to have a healthy diet) and the 2013 National Health Survey healthy eating questionnaire (QA-PNS) for determining quality of life among the oldest-old (85 years and older). METHODS: This descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional and analytical study included 44 oldest-old participants from a multi-professional care project (AMPAL) in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, who were evaluated at home. Eating habits were assessed using two questionnaires applied by nutritionists and other health professionals. The QA-PNS score was adapted to the QGAS score to facilitate comparison. RESULTS: Applying the QA-PNS was easier for non-nutritionists and was significantly related to the QGAS, with a correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.67. The women’s diet quality was better according to the QGAS (10 out of 18 items evaluated), but the men’s was better according to the QA-PNS (8 out of 15 items evaluated). CONCLUSION: There was good correlation between the QA-PNS and QGAS questionnaires for evaluating diet quality in the oldest-old.

Keywords

• longevity
• surveys and questionnaires
• healthy diet
• aged, 80 and over