El papel de la vitamina K: un estudio transversal de la ingesta de los menús ofertados en un centro geriátrico

Abstract

Introduction: The aims of the present study were to estimate the vitamin K-1 content of the menu offered in a nursing home and its adequacy to the recommendations, to determine its dietary sources and to classify the dishes on the menu.Methodology: Cross-sectional descriptive study. The dietary intake of vitamin K1 from the dietary menu offered in a public nursing home (Valladolid, Spain) was studied. The dietary study was performed by estimating the theoretical dietary intake of the basal menu offered during 14 consecutive days consumed by 138 elderly individuals. Vitamin Ki intake was estimated using data from the food composition table of Ortega-Anta et al, 2010.Results: The mean vitamin K-1 intake was 224 (standard deviation, 128 mu g/day) with a very similar amount between weeks and a great variation between days (97-586 mu g/day). The main source of this micronutrient was vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables (chard, cabbage, lettuce). The vitamin K-1 content of the menu offered was more than three times higher (320%) than the adequate intake recommended by EFSA and more than double (249-280%) the AESAN dietary intakes. The food groups that contributed most vitamin K-1 to the diet were vegetables (41.7%) and fruits (28.6%). Based on the Nutrition Care Manual classification, dishes were categorised into 4 free of vitamin K-1, 23 with low, 13 with moderate and 4 with a high amount of this micronutrient.Conclusions: In the menu offered in this nursing home, the estimated dietary intake of vitamin K-1 was between two and three times higher than recommended (AESAN and EFSA). In the long term, high intakes of vitamin K-1 could have health benefits associated with age-related diseases.