Food Consumption Patterns: An Elderly Population in Leicester Receiving Meals on Wheels Available to Purchase

Presents the results of a self‐completed questionnaire aimed at determining the dietary patterns of all meals on wheels (MOW) for elderly recipients in Leicester which was distributed to 1,500 people in November 1990. A response rate of 75 per cent was achieved (32.8 per cent male and 67.2 per cent female), the greatest proportion being in the 80‐89 age range, with 91.1 per cent of the total number of recipients receiving four or five meals per week from the MOW service. Seventy‐four per cent of all recipients reported consuming other meals or snacks in addition to their MOW. The remaining 26 per cent failed to report eating anything else but their MOW. Of the total who reported eating other meals or snacks, 73.9 per cent reported they had breakfast,12.8 per cent a mid‐morning snack, 23.4 per cent a mid‐afternoon snack,58.8 per cent an evening meal/snack and 26 per cent supper. Presents a further breakdown of the main food patterns on each of these eating occasions, the major foods being convenience (bread, biscuits, cake etc)with little evidence of hot meal preparation.