(10-06-10) Eating Competence of Elderly Spanish Adults Is Associated with a Healthy Diet

Lohse B, Psota T, Estruch R, Zazpe I, Sorli JV, Salas-Salvad? J, Serra M,
Krall JS, M?rquez F, Ros E.

Department of Nutritional Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, PA 16803.

Abstract
Eating competence (EC), a bio-psychosocial model for intrapersonal approaches
to eating and food-related behaviors, is associated with less weight
dissatisfaction, lower BMI, and increased HDL-cholesterol in small U.S.
studies, but its relationship to nutrient quality and overall cardiovascular
risk have not been examined. Prevenci?n con Dieta Mediterr?nea (PREDIMED) is a
5-y controlled clinical trial evaluating Mediterranean diet efficacy on the
primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in Spain. In a cross-
sectional study, 638 PREDIMED participants (62% women, mean age 67 y) well
phenotyped for cardiovascular risk factors were assessed for food intake and EC
using validated questionnaires. Overall, 45.6% were eating-competent. EC was
associated with being male and energy intake (P < 0.01). After gender and
energy adjustment, participants with EC compared with those without showed
higher fruit intake and greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (P < 0.05)
and tended to consume more fish (P = 0.076) and fewer dairy products (P =
0.054). EC participants tended to have a lower BMI (P = 0.057) and had a lower
fasting blood glucose concentration and serum LDL-:HDL-cholesterol ratio (P <
0.05) and a higher HDL-cholesterol concentration (P = 0.025) after gender
adjustment. EC participants had lower odds ratios (OR) of having a blood
glucose concentration >5.6 mmol/L (0.71; 95% CI 0.51-0.98) and HDL-cholesterol
<1.0 mmol/L (0.70; 95% CI 0.68-1.00). The OR of actively smoking, being obese,
or having a serum LDL-cholesterol concentration >/=3.4 mmol/L were <1.0, but
the 95% CI included the 1.0 (P > 0.1). Our findings support further examination
of EC as a strategy for enhancing diet quality and CVD prevention.

Source: J Nutr. 2010 May 26. [Epub ahead of print]

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