Análise geográfica sobre os hábitos alimentares da pessoa idosa em uma cidade do médio Solimões

Abstract

Brazil's rapid population aging has increased the demand for public policies and actions aimed at improving the quality of life of older adults. Diet plays an important role in maintaining health during old age, since health is directly related to the quality of foods consumed. The general objective of this study is to analyze the dietary habits of the urban older adult population of Coari, Amazonas, considering the legal frameworks related to older adults, the transformations of the urban space, and the prevalence of traditional and ultra-processed food consumption. This research is characterized as an observational and exploratory cross-sectional study using quantitative approach, conducted with older adults living in the western area of Coari, Amazonas. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews composed of open- and closed-ended questions addressing socioeconomic characteristics and information obtained through the Food Frequency Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, Fisher's Exact Test, the Kruskal–Wallis test, and Cramér's V. A total of 189 older adults living in the neighborhoods of Nazaré Pinheiro and Ciganópolis were interviewed. The participants had a mean age of 71.6 years; most were women, had low educational attainment, were retired, owned their homes, and hypertension was the most prevalent health condition. A total of 385 association tests were performed by crossing 11 socioeconomic and demographic profile variables with 24 outcomes related to food consumption, meal patterns, and food access. Of these 385 tests, 46 showed statistically significant associations. The analysis revealed a higher frequency of consumption of foods such as fish, cassava flour, fresh seasonings, and vegetables, among others, compared with ultra-processed foods. These findings indicate that older adults have largely preserved dietary habits developed throughout their life course. Overall, the population is undergoing both a demographic transition, characterized by an increasing older adult population, and a nutritional transition, marked by rising rates of obesity and other chronic diseases. Although the findings also indicate the presence of ultra-processed foods in the participants' diets, their lower frequency of consumption demonstrates resistance to changes in traditional dietary patterns among the older adults studied.