(P26-13-26) Aligning Dietary Intake and Food Purchases in U.S. Older Adults: Insights From NHANES and Circana Consumer Network

Sunday, July 26, 2026

9:30 AM - 10:30 AM ET

Location: Poster Board C-60

Presenting Author(s)

Naglaa H. El-Abbadi, PhD

Adjunct Lecturer
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Co-Author(s)

JR

Joshua Rutt

Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University, United States
ML

Marcus Lehr

Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University, United States
FN

Frederick Nusetor

Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University, United States
Cristina Moraga Franco, PhD

Postdoctoral Scholar
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University
Brookline, Massachusetts, United States
AC

Andrea C. Carlson

ERS (Retired), United States
KS

Kyla Shea, PhD

Tufts University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
CL

Chao-Qiang Lai, PhD (he/him/his)

Molecular Biologist
USDA Agricultural Research Service, Precision Nutrition, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Jose M. Ordovas, PhD

Director, Nutrition and Genomics
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University
Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Disclosure(s):

Chao-Qiang Lai, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Objectives: Diet quality is critical for healthy aging, yet assessing dietary intake remains complex. Nationally representative datasets provide valuable but distinct perspectives. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) captures self-reported consumption, while the Circana Consumer Network (Circana) records grocery purchases of approximately 60,000 households. The objective of this analysis was to explore whether dietary patterns observed in NHANES 2017-2018 align with food purchase trends in Circana 2018 in U.S. adults 55 years and older.

Methods: Dietary intake data were derived from single 24-hour recalls (NHANES n=1,950 individuals), or grocery food purchase from 1- and 2-person households (Circana n=29,192 households). We also conducted stratified analyses by sex and age group (55-64, 65-74, 75+ years). Diet quality was scored using the 2015 Healthy Eating Index (HEI), and food group composition was evaluated by percent weight (g) and energy (kcal).

Results: Mean total HEI scores were similar across datasets (NHANES: 55.7 ± 0.9; CN: 51.3 ± 0.1), with neither dataset suggesting that older adults consistently meet dietary recommendations. Older adults were below HEI component adequacy/moderation recommendations for Total/Whole Fruit, Greens/Beans, Whole Grains, and Saturated Fats; these also showed greatest variation by age. While food group proportion by mass aligned between consumption and purchase for various food groups, there were key disparities in Mixed Dishes, Condiments, and Snacks/Sweets; and Vegetables by caloric energy.

Conclusions: These observations underscore the potential for integrating food purchase data with dietary intake assessments to enhance understanding of older adults' dietary behaviors. Linking these complementary data streams can inform precision nutrition strategies and strengthen dietary surveillance for healthy aging.

Funding Sources: Agricultural Research Service