Aging in Introductory and Life Cycle Nutrition Textbooks

The aging content in 11 undergraduate nutrition textbooks (8 introductory, 3 life cycle) was evaluated using content analysis. Repeated measures ANOVAs with Bonferroni post hoc procedures and t- tests were used. The 259 relevant pages largely focused on geriatrics (physiological decline, chronic diseases). Gerontological aspects were underemphasized. Mean number of pages on aging was significantly higher in life cycle (M = 37) than in introductory textbooks (M = 18), t (9) = 3.42, p.008. In introductory textbooks, mean percentage of pages on aging (M = 3.2%) was significantly less than for maternal (M = 4.6%) and childhood topics (M = 6.2%), p.05. Overall, topic omissions included discussion of ageism, death, dying, and dignity; and end-of-life decisions related to nutrition and hydration. Women and minorities were proportionately represented in generally positive photographs. Aging terminology was 81% neutral (older, aging), 14% negative (impaired, senile), and 5% positive (active, independent). These textbooks may not help students acquire the broad knowledge needed to work with older adults or develop positive attitudes about aging. Recommendations for authors, publishers, and instructors are provided.