• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.75-88
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• 2005

Objectives: This survey was intended to provide basic data which can be available as a baseline in the set up of dietary guidelines for assuring community-based self-support of the rural elderly, through investigation of the relationship of the various dietary consumptions with their ADL and IADL. Methods: The study subjects, 439 rural residents(male: 196, female:243) aged over 65 in Kumsan Kun and Chongyang Kun, Chungchongnamdo Province were interviewed, in June of 2004, about their sociodemographic characteristics, daily life styles, the variety of dietary consumption, ADL and IADL with the following major findings: Results: In terms of the scores' distribution to show variety of food consumption among all subjects, 68.3% got 1~3 points, 23.2% 4~6 points, and 8.4% 7~10 points with a decreasing proportion of subjects in higher points. In terms of their functional status, normal-range groups showed 93.2% of ADL and 72.9% of IADL whereas, impaired ADL group 6.8% of ADL and 27.1% of IADL, respectively. Concerning the relation of ADL and IADL with the variety of their consumed food, the greater scores for food variety was associated with the significantly higher proportion of normal ADL group and the lower proportion of impaired ADL group. Multiple logistic regression analysis with ADL and IADL as dependent variables, and food variety scores as explanatory variables, the relative risk of impaired-ADL group was 0.84 in the food variety group of 4~6 points, 0.63 in 7~10 points with no statistical significance. The relative risk of impaired- IADL group was 0.52(p<0.01) in the food variety group of 4~6 points, 0.41(p<0.05) in 7~10 points with statistical significance. Conclusions: These study results suggest that the lower dietary variety, the lower functional capacity of daily living, and the variety of dietary is associated with the functional capacity of daily living in rural elderly.