Food insecurity and nutritional status among older adults: a systematic review.

CONTEXT: Food insecurity (FI), characterized by difficulty or inability to access adequate food, has become a public health problem. OBJECTIVE: To analyze studies relating FI with nutritional status (NS) among older adults and the associated factors. DATA SEARCH: Articles published up to June 2020 were investigated in 5 databases: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and Web of Science. The search, selection, extraction, and quality evaluation were carried out by 2 reviewers. DATA EXTRACTION: The authors identified characteristics of the studies and the main data regarding the relationship of interest. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies were included in the review and their characteristics are summarized and presented using narrative synthesis. In 10 studies (45.4%), a relationship was observed between FI and malnutrition; in another 6 (27.3%), a relationship was observed between FI and being overweight. CONCLUSION: A relationship was identified between FI, especially severe forms, and malnutrition, as well as between FI, especially mild forms, and people being overweight. Thus, FI among older adults relates to a 2-fold burden of nutritional outcomes, depending on the level. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42020185086.

Alcoholic beverage consumption, changes in blood pressure, and incidence of hypertension in the Longitudinal Adult Health Study (ELSA-Brasil).

OBJECTIVES: Alcohol consumption is generally associated with increased risk of hypertension. We aimed to investigate, prospectively, the effect of alcoholic-beverage consumption on blood pressure (BP) and incidence of hypertension, after a 4-y follow-up, in participants of the Longitudinal Adult Health Study (ELSA-Brasil). METHODS: We analyzed information from 3,990 participants (ages 35-74 y), men and women, from educational and research institutions, at baseline (2008-2010) and follow-up (2012-2014). Socioeconomic, hemodynamic, anthropometric, and health data were collected. Hypertension was defined as systolic BP ≥ 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mm Hg and/or use of antihypertensive medication. Change in alcohol consumption (g/d) was estimated by subtracting total consumed at follow-up from total consumed at baseline, and was categorized in tertiles. RESULTS: The consumption of alcoholic beverages was associated with changes in BP and hypertension only in men. Individuals who reduced total consumption of alcohol showed a smaller increase in systolic BP (1.1 versus 2.3 mm Hg; P = 0.03) and diastolic BP (1.3 versus 2.2 mm Hg; P = 0.008) compared to individuals who increased consumption. In addition, individuals in the highest tertiles of total consumption of alcohol (odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-2.29) and consumption of beer (OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.07-12.13), wine (OR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.01-2.86), and spirits (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.21-3.32) showed higher odds ratios for hypertension compared to the lowest tertile. CONCLUSIONS: Increased consumption of alcoholic beverages was positively associated with increased BP levels and higher chances of developing hypertension in men.