Nutritional status and its influencing factors of urban Chinese adults aged 40-69 years.

Abstract

Background and objectives: To explore the nutritional challenges and its influencing factors of adults aged 40-69 living in Chinese cities.

Methods and study design: This cross-sectional study involved 300 subjects from 29 cities in China. Questionnaires were used to collect demographic information, presence of chronic disease, and the use of nutritional supplements and fortified foods. 24-hour food intake was recorded using the Eat-Right Assistant, a validated digital service.

Results: Fiber (56.7%), calcium (66.3%) and selenium (67.0%) were the nutrients with the highest insufficient intake. The foods with the highest inadequate consumption were dairy products (91%), fruits (84.3%), tubers (76.3%), soybeans and nuts (70%), and whole grains (65%). Even though 95.7% of the study population showed medium-high level of dietary diversity, di-etary imbalance was present among 99% of the subjects. Higher socioeconomic status, passive health awareness, or the use of nutritional supplements or fortified foods showed positive influence on nutrient intake and dietary quality.

Conclusions: This research provided insights into the dietary intake status and its influencing factors of 300 urban residents aged 40-69. The adult population still face a challenge of inadequate nutrient intake and imbalanced diet. In addition, this study supported the feasibility of using a digital service in research. Further studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm current findings. This will help to clarify the unmet nutritional needs of adults in China and thus help to achieve healthy aging.