Overall intake of energy and key nutrients: data for middle-aged and older middle-class adults

The reported 7-day dietary intake is described for 60 middle-aged and older middle-class adults aged 45-75 years. The 30 men, who apparently were mostly still moderately active (reported average energy intake for 7-day recording period 11.7 +/- 3.6 MJ/day) showed few deficiencies in the intake of key nutrients relative to standard dietary recommendations. The 30 women were relatively inactive (reported average energy intake 8.1 +/- 1.9 MJ/day). In consequence, some of them had less than an optimal intake of vitamin A, riboflavin and thiamin, while 25 of 60 subjects (17 women, 8 men) had a calcium intake of less than 800 mg/day. Calcium intake was quite closely correlated to total energy intake. Given that a low level of physical activity was apparently responsible for the failure to meet recommended dietary allowances, an increase of habitual physical activity may thus be commended as a simple approach to the optimisation of diet in the sedentary and economically comfortable older adult.