Dietary Nutrient Adequacy and Supplement Use in German Community-Dwelling Older Adults Compared to a Group of Younger People: Findings from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II)

Background: As populations age, evaluating nutrient intake in older adults becomes increasingly important. While the nutritional status of nursing home residents and hospitalised older patients has been widely studied, less is known about community-dwelling older adults. This study assessed dietary nutrient and supplement intake in the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). Methods: Nutrient and supplement intake was assessed in 1671 community-dwelling BASE-II participants aged 60–84 years using the EPIC Potsdam FFQ. Supplement use was additionally recorded during physician interviews. Intakes were compared with reference values of the German Nutrition Society (DGE). The proportion of participants with potentially inadequate nutrient intake was estimated using the (E)AR Cut-Point Method and a probabilistic approach for iron. Data from 500 participants aged 22–36 years served as a comparison group. Results: Mean intakes met DGE reference values for most micronutrients in both age groups, whereas fat and protein intake exceeded recommendations. The proportion at risk of inadequate calcium intake was higher among older than younger participants (34 vs. 26%), while younger participants more frequently had inadequate intakes of several B vitamins, particularly vitamin B1 (25 vs. 22%), vitamin B12 (3.7 vs. 0.6%), vitamin B2 (32 vs. 26%), vitamin B6 (30 vs. 20%) and vitamin B9 (folate, 64 vs. 55%). Additionally, more than 15% of participants in both groups were at risk of inadequate intakes of magnesium and vitamin D. For iron, the probabilistic approach indicated a risk of inadequate intake among 37% of younger women. Supplement use was more common among older participants (47.3% vs. 43.0%), although the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: In this relatively healthy, community-dwelling BASE-II population, older adults did not generally have less favourable nutrient intakes than younger participants. However, the higher proportion at risk of inadequate calcium intake warrants attention. Given the specific characteristics of the BASE-II cohort, these findings cannot be assumed to represent the wider German older population.