• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.11
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• pp.1399-1408
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• 2007

This study was conducted to compare health and nutritional status of 45 home-living elderly people receiving free Meals on Wheels (MOW) (13 men, 32 women) and 81 low income class elderly people receiving free congregate meals (CM) (10 men, 71 women) served in Seoul. Data were obtained from questionnaires, anthropometry and interviews for the 24-hour dietary recall methods. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age and body mass index. Education level, type of housing, family type and income of the two groups also were not significantly different. In MOW, frequencies of exercise were lower while the prevalence of stroke, respiratory disease and loneliness were higher, compared with the CM. The scores of ADL, IADL and food habit of MOW were lower than those of CM. The average daily nutritional intake of both MOW and CM were as a whole under the DRI for Koreans. Energy and macro-nutrient intakes of MOW were tended to be lower than CM (except protein intakes for female). Ca, K, vitamin A, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, vitamin C and folate intakes of MOW were less than 50% of DRI. Percentages of subjects consuming energy less than 75% of EER and 4 nutrients intakes less than EAR were higher in MOW (42.2%) than in CM (1.2%). Our results indicated that dietary nutritional status of MOW was very poor, especially in the case of female elderly groups. For the welfare of the home-living elderly people receiving free MOW, meal service programs should be improved in quality of diet by national supports.