TY - JOUR
T1 - In-Depth Assessment of the Nutritional Status of Korean American Elderly
AU - Lee, Young Hee
AU - Lee, Jongeun
AU - Kim, Miyong To
AU - Han, Hae Ra
N1 - Funding Information:
This project was supported by the Geriatric Medicine-Nursing research fund and Outpatient General Clinical Research Center Grant (Grant No. 5M01RR00052) and in part by the Center for Collaborative Intervention Research at The Johns Hopkins University (Grant No. P30 NR008995). We thank Dr. Kim B. Kim for his assistance with statistical analysis.
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - Although studies of immigrants have generally indicated significant dietary changes that mirror a Western diet upon immigration, previous data are limited to the dietary patterns and intakes of younger and middle-aged adults. Using a relatively large sample of Korean American elderly (KAE) immigrants, this article offers an in-depth assessment of the nutritional status of KAE, one of the most rapidly increasing minority populations in the United States. In this study, 202 KAE in a metropolitan city on the East Coast participated in a comprehensive nutritional survey using 24-hour dietary recall. Despite their spending about 16 years in the United States, the KAE consumed more than 2 regular meals in a day that were considered part of a Korean food pattern. When compared with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, the average consumption of nutrients reported was generally lower than in Americans, with the exception of carbohydrates, vegetable protein, and sodium intake. Inadequate intake of calcium, dietary fiber, and folate were notable when examined in comparison to the Dietary Reference Intakes. These findings can help health care providers and researchers design appropriate nutritional education programs to facilitate the adoption of healthier dietary practices in this immigrant population. In particular, future interventions should consider ways to lower sodium intake and increase fruit and vegetable consumption among KAE, while encouraging them to maintain their healthy dietary pattern.
AB - Although studies of immigrants have generally indicated significant dietary changes that mirror a Western diet upon immigration, previous data are limited to the dietary patterns and intakes of younger and middle-aged adults. Using a relatively large sample of Korean American elderly (KAE) immigrants, this article offers an in-depth assessment of the nutritional status of KAE, one of the most rapidly increasing minority populations in the United States. In this study, 202 KAE in a metropolitan city on the East Coast participated in a comprehensive nutritional survey using 24-hour dietary recall. Despite their spending about 16 years in the United States, the KAE consumed more than 2 regular meals in a day that were considered part of a Korean food pattern. When compared with the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III, the average consumption of nutrients reported was generally lower than in Americans, with the exception of carbohydrates, vegetable protein, and sodium intake. Inadequate intake of calcium, dietary fiber, and folate were notable when examined in comparison to the Dietary Reference Intakes. These findings can help health care providers and researchers design appropriate nutritional education programs to facilitate the adoption of healthier dietary practices in this immigrant population. In particular, future interventions should consider ways to lower sodium intake and increase fruit and vegetable consumption among KAE, while encouraging them to maintain their healthy dietary pattern.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2009.02.001
DO - 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2009.02.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 19818265
AN - SCOPUS:70349772119
SN - 0197-4572
VL - 30
SP - 304
EP - 311
JO - Geriatric Nursing
JF - Geriatric Nursing
IS - 5
ER -