Usual dietary intake and cardiovascular risk factors in older Brazilian women

Aim: To evaluate habitual macronutrient intake and its association with common cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilian elderly women. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study with 293 subjects. Carbohydrate, protein and lipid intakes were determined based on a non-consecutive three-day dietary record. The following conditions were evaluated: dyslipidemia, systemic arterial hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Results: Anthropometric, clinical and biochemical data revealed an elevated prevalence of classic cardiovascular risk factors in the sample. Higher energy intake from omega-3 fatty acid was associated with elevated levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05), whereas a diet pattern with a relatively lower energy content from monounsaturated fatty acids was associated with the presence of type 2 diabetes (p<0.05). Conclusions: Results corroborate experimental reports and contribute by suggesting that the usual diet, independently of supplementation, may be valuable in promoting health and preventing chronic diseases of aging. (C) 2012, Editrice Kurtis