| Popis: |
This study looked at the relationship between diet and self-reported health status for three different generations (GenX, Baby Boomer, and the Silent generations). Recognizing that physical health is dependent on situational, biological, and various other factors, we examined the extent to which selected eating habits are related to physical health in fully-specified models. Data used were from an online AARP survey fielded October 25-November 8, 2017 among a nationally representative sample of 2,033 adults age 40 and older. Adults in older age groups are less likely to self-report their physical health as “excellent” or “very good.” Consequently, in OLS models a negative relationship was observed between health status and generational cohort, whereas a positive relationship was noted between health status and an indicator related to meeting nutritional recommendations. However, in OLS regression path analysis the relationship between good nutrition and self-reported health status was dependent on age cohort. That is, the difference in health status between those who meet nutritional guidelines and those who fail to meet nutritional guidelines was greatest for the Silent generation (1925–1945). This significant buffering effect of aging’s deleterious impact on heath status emphasizes the importance of diet for older adults and points to a highly modifiable risk factor for age-related decline. |
