Abstract
Poor nutrition during early childhood can lead to abnormal growth and development, predisposing to non-communicable diseases in adulthood, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Thus, identification of, and interventions to address, nutritional deficiencies and deviating trends in growth and development, should be prioritised in early childhood. The older adult population is growing rapidly worldwide. Older adults are more at-risk of chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and CVD. Therefore, ensuring optimal nutrition to maintain health as people age is crucial. The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate priority dietary and nutritional issues in young children and older adults, identify impacts and outline the implications for nutrition policy in Ireland and beyond. Results from a diet modelling study, using WHO growth standards and national dietary intake data, identified shortfalls in DHA+EPA, vitamins D and E, and fibre in young children. This study is one of the first to develop a protocol for addressing nutrient shortfalls in young children. For older adults, a critical review identified a number of nutritional issues, micronutrient deficiencies and a high prevalence of obesity. To investigate key nutritional issues, two observational studies were performed in older adults involving data from the Trinity-Ulster-Department-of Agriculture (TUDA) cohort. The first study showed a high prevalence (67%) of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), which increased with advancing age. Higher dietary intakes of protein and MUFA were associated with a reduced risk of MetS. In addition, participants with MetS consumed significantly fewer high-quality and more low-quality protein foods, compared to participants without MetS. The second TUDA-based investigation found a high prevalence (52%) of vitamin D insufficiency (25(OH)D ≤50mmol/l) which increased with advancing age, whilst vitamin D supplement usage was identified as the most important determinant of vitamin D status. In conclusion, use of the protocol for young children developed here, along with country-specific dietary data, would enable health care professionals worldwide to provide more specific dietary advice during routine growth assessment. For older adults, tailored dietary interventions, including high-quality protein, may be beneficial in reducing the incidence of MetS. Furthermore, strategies should be implemented to promote vitamin D supplementation in order to reduce the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in older adults.Thesis embargoed until 31 August 2026
Date of Award | Aug 2024 |
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Original language | English |
Sponsors | Food Safety Authority of Ireland |
Supervisor | Maeve Kerr (Supervisor) & Helene Mc Nulty (Supervisor) |
Keywords
- nutrient shortfalls
- young children
- food-based dietary guidelines
- diet modelling
- growth monitoring
- older adults
- metabolic syndrome
- protein quality
- vitamin D