Malnutrition risk and associated factors among elderly people in Turkey

Abstract

Background and purpose: Factors such as oral and dental health problems, gastrointestinal and urinary system diseases, sensory problems regarding taste and smell, having difficulty in reaching food and dependency may cause malnutrition among the elderly. Malnutrition leads to poor outcomes such as functional decline, frailty, the decline of quality of life and higher mortality rates. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional status and factors affecting the nutritional status among the elderly. Methods: This study was conducted on 473 elderly people who applied to the Family Health Centers in Kirklareli, Turkey and who volunteered to participate. The data was gathered using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL), and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL). Results: According to the MNA, the rates of the elderly who were at malnutrition risk and who had malnutrition were 35.7% and 7.8%, respectively. The BMI, ADL, IADL, and SWLS scores of participants who are at malnutrition risk and who had malnutrition were significantly lower than people who had a normal nutritional status (p<0.05). In addition, their mean age was significantly higher compared to the healthy controls (p<0.01). The MNA scores of the elderly who had worse economic status, who lived in retirement homes or with a professional caregiver, and who had chronic diseases were significantly lower (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study indicates that the risk of malnutrition is highly prevalent among the elderly people. The nutritional status of the elderly was negatively affected by factors including age, poor economic status, loneliness, increased levels of dependency on the IADL and ADL, and having a chronic disease. This leads to a decrease in life satisfaction. The nutritional status of the elderly who live in retirement homes or consult health centers should be carefully evaluated and those who have malnutrition or at malnutrition risk should be treated.