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About 7 million Americans older than 65 are disabled, and this number is expected to rise as the population ages. Researchers examined the association between poor nutritional status and physical disability in older women. As part of the Women’s Health and Aging Study, 643 women without baseline disability (i.e., self-reported difficulty with no more than one activity of daily living [ADL]) were assessed prospectively at 6-month intervals for up to 36 months. Baseline serum micronutrient levels, including total carotenoids; retinol; vitamins D, B6, and B12; folate; selenium; and zinc, were analyzed at baseline and categorized into quartiles.
During the 36-month study, 208 women (13.3 per 100 person-years) developed ADL disability (difficulty…