Health and nutritional status of elderly Greek migrants to Melbourne, Australia

Age and Ageing, May, 1996 by Antigone Kouris-Blazos, Mark L. Wahlqvist, Antonia Trichopoulou, Evangelos Polychronopoulos, Dimitrios Trichopoulos

Data analysis: Subjects were recruited from the age groups 70-79 and 80 . Even though the number of observations was small for some variables, these age groups were analysed separately as they appeared to show different trends. The Statistical Analysis System (SAS, 1993) was used for analyses. Non-parametric statistics (Wilcoxon rank sum test; continuous variables) and [chi square] (discrete variables) were used to test the significance of differences between sex, age group and centre (location).

Results

Results are specific to the community studied and may not be extrapolated to the wider elderly Greek population in Greece and Australia.

Health status: The ten most common self-reported health conditions are presented in Table I. For conditions that require prescribed medications for treatment, e.g. hypertension, heart disease, there was agreement between the proportions reporting the complaint and the proportions taking the prescribed medication. More than 90% of subjects reported at least one health condition. Significantly more women (70%) than men (55%) reported three health complaints. The most common health problem was hypertension (45%), followed by arthritis (30%). The proportions of Melbourne women (mainly aged 80 ) reporting heart problems and cancer (40%, 14% respectively) were significantly greater than in the men (23%, 4%) and Spata women (16%, 4%). The prevalence of diabetes was high in both centres (M 10%, F 20%). Less common health complaints included stroke, ulcers and cancer.

Food intake: Compared with Spata Greeks, Melbourne Greeks had a significantly greater mean daily intake of total foods (1450g vs. 1200g); animal foods (500g vs. 400 g), and plant foods (950 g vs. 800 g). Differences in food group intake are summarized in Figure 1 and Table II. Melbourne men aged 70-79 obtained a greater proportion of their total food intake from animal foods (35%) and a smaller proportion from plant foods (65%) compared with Spata men (31% No, 69% respectively). This was also reflected in the significantly lower plant to animal food ratio in Melbourne (2.6) compared with Spata (3.2). In contrast, women in Spata and Melbourne had similar ratios (33%, 67%, respectively). For cereal consumption, centre differences were only seen for men aged 70-79 (Spate 300 g/day; Melbourne 266 g/day)

Nutrient intake: The Melbourne and Spata samples had a similar intake of total calories (M 2300 kcal, F 1800 kcal), the higher total food intake of Melbourne Greeks being offset by their lower intake of olive oil, fats and alcohol. The differences in macronutrient intake are summarized in Figure 2 and Table III. More than 90% of subjects were not achieving the recommended energy intake from complex (40-50%) and total carbohydrates (50-60%,). In contrast, 30-50% of the Melbourne subjects were consuming more than 15% of their energy intake from refined carbohydrates compared with less than 10% of the Spata sample. Only 8% of Spata men and none of the Spata women had fibre intakes above the recommended 30 g/day compared with 21% of Melbourne women and 35% of men. More than 95% of subjects had fat intakes above the recommended maximum of 30% calories from fat. Comparing the absolute intake of micronutrients in the two samples, Melbourne subjects had a significantly greater intake of potassium (3000 mg vs. 2200 mg); phosphorus (1300 mg vs. 1000 mg); magnesium (300 mg vs. 200 mg); zinc (16 mg vs. 13 mg); vitamin A (900RE vs. 600RE); thiamin (1.2 mg vs 0.75 mg); riboflavin (1.6 mg vs. 1.2 mg), niacin (37 mg vs. 26 mg) and vitamin C (150 mg vs. 75 mg) and a similar intake of calcium (M 700 mg, F 600 mg); iron (20 mg) and non-discretionary sodium (M 2200 mg F 1700 mg) (Table IV). A greater proportion of Spata subjects had potassium intakes below 1875 mg (M 15%, F 45%) compared with the Melbourne sample (M 2%, F 11%) (Table V).