BEER-SHEVA, Israel, May 14, 2009 (UPI via COMTEX) -- Elderly people with
impaired appetite are more likely to die sooner, researchers in Israel said.
The study, published in the May issue of the Journal of Nutrition, Health &
Aging, demonstrated a link between the Daily Activity Energy Expenditure -- an
accurate measurement of total physical activity, appetite and mortality among
well functioning long-term care adults.
"These findings are important because they show how subjective appetite
measurement can predict death, even when adjusting for health and many other
variables," Dr. Danit Shahar of Ben-Gurion University said in a statement. "It
was thought that decreased appetite may be an indicator or a result to other
health problems, and that malnutrition, rather than low appetite was associated
with mortality."
Using 298 older participants -- ages 70-82 years -- the researchers analyzed
dietary factors, including self-reported appetite, enjoyment of eating and
intake assessed by the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire and Healthy Eating
Index.
The nine-year study found participants who reported improved appetite were at
lower risk for mortality.
URL: www.upi.com
Copyright 2009 by United Press International