Table 1.

Sociodemographic, health & medical characteristics of subjects.

Characteristics	Male (n = 54)		Female (n = 66)		Total (n = 120)
	n	%	n	%	n	%
Demographic & socioeconomic:
widowed	4	7.4	33*	50.0	37	30.8
no schooling	2	3.7	34*	51.5	36	30.0
unemployed with no pensions	15	27.8	61*	92.4	76	63.3
Medical:
multiple pathology (≥ 3 diagnosis)	22	40.7	27	40.9	49	40.8
therapeutic diet	26	48.3	40	60.6	66	54.9
Health:
visual problem	43	79.6	56	84.8	99	82.5
loss of appetite	39	72.2	37	56.1	76	63.3
Wearing denture	16	29.3	35*	53.0	51	42.5
smoker or ex-smoker	34	62.9	6*	9.1	40	33.3
food beliefs	44	81.5	60	90.9	104	86.7
self- perceived poor health	29	53.8	28	42.4	57	47.5
chronic energy deficiency (BMI < 18.5)	10	18.5	11	16.7	21	17.5
overweight (BMI ≥ 25.0)	11	20.4	23	34.8	34	28.3

^*p < 0.05 (Chi-squared test); BMI-Body mass index.