Estimating the prevalence of inadequate nutrient intakes in a healthy elderly population: Validity of classification and probability methodologies

Abstract The evaluation of dietary intake is an essential part of nutritional surveys and provides estimates of risks of dietary deficiency. In order to test the validity of these estimates, the prevalence of inadequate intake in a healthy elderly population (n=82) was calculated from a 7-day food record using two different methods and then compared to the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies evidenced by laboratory assessments. With the probability method, the risk for each individual to have an intake below its own requirement is calculated. In contrast, the classification method compares the intake of each subject to a cut-off point set a priori below which the intake is presumed to be inadequate. For each nutrient considered, probability analyses consistently yielded a predicted prevalence lower than the currently used classification method (