Association between the nutritional profile of macronutrients and their relationship with hypertension, diabetes and obesity in the elderly

Many functional and metabolic disorders found in elderly population are resulting from poor eating habits and, therefore, they are considered a group of risk and vulnerability as it concerns the nutritional aspects. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the correlation of hypertension, diabetes and obesity against the consumption of macronutrients in a population sample of elderly in a Brazilian city. This is an exploratory research, qualitative and quantitative approach, carried out in an interior of the municipality of Bahia, with 795 elderly individuals. The following questionnaires were used: a) Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ);b) pre-existing diseases of Abuel; c) Evaluation of the Body Mass Index (BMI); d) Data Social Class parameters according the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). Statistical analysis was obtained by applying the Chi-Square test and Pearson correlation. It was found that: (1) hypertensive individuals consume high carbohydrate levels (p <0.009) and low protein content (p <0.002) and lipids (p <0.010); (2) diabetics tend to consume carbohydrates and lipids in the same way that do not have the disease, but ingest low protein content (p <0.002); (3) obesity have proved consume carbohydrates in the same way eutrophic, however, they showed a high fat diet (p <0.010) and protein levels (p <0.000). Forward to the facts it is concluded that food tends to influence the worsening of metabolic diseases in elderly such as systemic hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity.