Malnourishment in the overweight and obese elderly

Abstract

Background: the prevalence of obesity in the elderly has increased in recent years. Malnutrition is a syndrome characterized by inadequate intake and absorption of nutrients. Obesity could mask the presence of malnutrition. Objective: this study aimed to determine malnutrition using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test in obese and overweight elderly. Methods: one hundred and eighty-seven overweight or obese elderly have been taken under review and nutritional status was assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF). Result: there were 101 (54.3%) male and 86 (45.7%) female elderly. Body mass index (BMI) variability of the sample group was between 25.0 and 48.9. Malnourishment percentile is 49.7% for elderly people whose BMI is over 25. Conclusion: elderly individuals, especially those who are overweight or obese, are under more health threats and should be evaluated more carefully.