Ten-year trends in lifestyle habits among community-dwelling older people in Taiwan.

Objective Different lifestyles may contribute to chronic diseases or a health condition. We aimed to study trends in lifestyle habits among community-dwelling older people. Methods This retrospective time-trend study enrolled 429 108 participants from the Senior Citizen Health Examination in Taiwan over ten years (2001-2010). We analysed lifestyle habits including smoking, alcohol, betel nut chewing, milk drinking, fruit and vegetable intake, car driving and motorcycle riding. Joinpoint regression was used to identify changes in trend. Results The overall rate of smoking, alcohol and betel nut chewing was 8.2%, 18.1% and 0.3%, respectively. Smoking rates decreased gradually, but alcohol and betel nut chewing increased. We found that milk drinking, fruit and vegetable intake and car driving initially increased and then later decreased. The change in the trend was in 2003. Conclusion There were significant turning points in milk drinking, fruit and vegetable intake and car driving. Implementation of strategies to change the behaviors of citizens about the intake of fruit and vegetable and milk drinking is important.