Dietary intake and food habits of urban and rural elderly people in Patna

The present study was carried out to assess the dietary intake and food habits of elderly people living in rural and urban areas of Patna city (Bihar). 300 elderly people (172 males and 128 females), aged 60 years and above, were randomly selected from five villages of one Block of Patna and five wards from the Municipal area of Patna equal in numbers. The data was collected with the help of a schedule through interviews regarding the intake of food and food consumption pattern of the respondents. Results revealed that consumption of food items like pulses, roots, tubers, and fruits was higher among women, and the intake of cereal, green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, milk, oil and fats, meat and fish, and eggs was more among men than women elderly persons. Roots and tubers, sugar, and jaggery have lower intake values than their respective Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) values for both the sexes. Large numbers of aged people (one-third) were addicted to tobacco chewing. More than half of the aged people were vegetarian. Urban elders are more likely to take food supplements than rural. Taking breakfast and snacks is higher in urban elderly males and females and lesser in rural elderly females.