Comparison of nutrient intakes by nutritional anemia and the association between nutritional anemia and chronic diseases in Korean elderly: Based on the 2013–2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Data

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The elderly are reported to have a high prevalence of nutritional anemia when they have lower intakes of nutrients or chronic diseases. This study was conducted to compare nutritional status according to nutritional anemia and to determine associations between nutritional anemia and chronic diseases in Korean elderly. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study utilized data on 3,258 elderly aged ≥ 65 years gathered during the 6(th) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013–2015. Subjects were divided into nutritional anemia (NA) group (n = 415) and non-NA group (n = 2,843) by hemoglobin concentration. Nutrient intakes were assessed using dietary intake data obtained using the 24-hour recall method. The odds ratios (ORs) for nutritional anemia by chronic diseases were determined. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Ver. 23.0. RESULTS: Of 3,258 subjects, 12.7% had nutritional anemia. Intakes of potatoes, pulses, and mushrooms by males and potatoes, fruits, meats, eggs, and seafood by females were significantly lower in NA group than in non-NA group. The proportion of the subjects whose intakes of protein, vitamin A, vitamin B₁, vitamin B₂, niacin, and iron less than estimated average requirement (EAR) were significantly higher in NA group compared to non-NA group. After adjusting for age, the number of family members, energy intake, and alcohol drinking, ORs for nutritional anemia in the subjects with diabetes and myocardial infarction or angina pectoris were significantly higher by 1.74 times and 1.59 times as compared to the subjects without those diseases, respectively. However, ORs for nutritional anemia in the subjects with obesity, abdominal obesity, and hypertriglyceridemia were significantly lower by 0.64 times, 0.60 times, and 0.59 times as compared to the subjects without those diseases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggested that nutritional management should be done to enable the Korean elderly to consume foods with high hematopoietic nutrients density to prevent nutritional anemia. Korean elderly need to make regular efforts to check for nutritional anemia.

The Effects of Lumbar Stabilization Exercise on Pain and Range of Motion in the Shoulder

BACKGROUND: Lumbar stabilization exercise was used to improve spinal mobilization and stabilization. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise programs on shoulder pain and range of motion among a group of elderly individuals. METHODS: The study subjects were 28 elderly patients from C hospital, Gochang, Jeollabukdo. They were randomly divided into 3 groups: lumbar stability exercise group, passive upper arm exercise group, and conservative therapy group. The therapies were conducted for 4 weeks. Shoulder pain and range of motion were measured both before and after therapies. The homogeneity of study subjects was analyzed using the chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests. For the pre-/post-status comparison, the Wilcoxon's signed-ranks tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted. RESULTS: General characteristics including age, sex, and disease history of the 3 groups were comparable. After 4 weeks of exercise, shoulder pain was significantly reduced in the lumbar stability exercise group (6.4+/-2.9 vs. 3.6+/-3.1, P=.026) and range of motion was significantly increased in the same group. More specifically, right flexion (121.1+/-12.0degrees vs. 137.9+/-11.9degrees, P=.008), right abduction (96.6+/-21.8degrees vs. 129.7+/-50.7degrees, P=.008), and left abduction (92.0+/-21.8degrees vs. 110.3+/-21.2degrees, P=.038) increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder pain and range of motion improved significantly in the lumbar stability exercise group. Further study is needed to look into the longer effects of this exercise program using more subjects.