ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Determining malnutrition and associated variables in the elderly. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly people vaccinated against influenza in order to evaluate their nutritional status. Nutritional assessment was performed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment. To verify association of studied variables with the outcome, odds ratios was estimated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 236 elderly patients were recruited. The Mini Nutritional Assessment identified three patients (1.3%) with malnutrition and 59 (25%) at risk of malnutrition. Factors with a positive association to the outcome were psychological stress or acute disease in the past three months, weight loss (< 3 kg) during the last three months and sores or skin ulcers. On the other hand, consuming two or more servings of fruits or vegetables daily, eating meat, fish or poultry every day and drinking more than three cups of fluids per day were negatively associated to malnutrition and risk of malnutrition. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of malnutrition found in this study may be due to the study sample of elderly individuals in good health. Some factors related to a recent health problem (psychological stress or acute disease) seem to be positively associated while regular consumption of fluids and certain foods seem to be negatively associated with malnutrition.
Subject(s)
Geriatric Assessment/statistics & numerical data , Malnutrition/epidemiology , Nutritional Status/physiology , Acute Disease , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Body Mass Index , Brazil , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Middle Aged , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Weight LossABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Determining malnutrition and associated variables in the elderly. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly people vaccinated against influenza in order to evaluate their nutritional status. Nutritional assessment was performed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment. To verify association of studied variables with the outcome, odds ratios was estimated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 236 elderly patients were recruited. The Mini Nutritional Assessment identified three patients (1.3 percent) with malnutrition and 59 (25 percent) at risk of malnutrition. Factors with a positive association to the outcome were psychological stress or acute disease in the past three months, weight loss (< 3 kg) during the last three months and sores or skin ulcers. On the other hand, consuming two or more servings of fruits or vegetables daily, eating meat, fish or poultry every day and drinking more than three cups of fluids per day were negatively associated to malnutrition and risk of malnutrition. CONCLUSION: The low prevalence of malnutrition found in this study may be due to the study sample of elderly individuals in good health. Some factors related to a recent health problem (psychological stress or acute disease) seem to be positively associated while regular consumption of fluids and certain foods seem to be negatively associated with malnutrition.
OBJETIVO: Determinar a desnutrição e suas variáveis associadas em idosos. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal foi conduzido entre idosos vacinados contra a gripe, a fim de medir o seu estado nutricional. A avaliação nutricional foi realizada por meio da Mini Avaliação Nutricional. Para verificar a associação das variáveis estudadas com o resultado foi estimada a odds ratios usando a regressão logística múltipla. RESULTADOS: No total 236 idosos foram recrutados. A mini avaliação nutricional identificou três pacientes (1,3 por cento) com desnutrição e 59 (25 por cento) em risco de desnutrição. Os fatores com uma associação positiva para o resultado foi o estresse psicológico ou doença aguda nos últimos três meses, perda de peso < 3 kg durante os últimos três meses e feridas ou úlceras na pele. Por outro lado, o consumo de duas ou mais porções de frutas ou vegetais ao dia, consumir carne, peixe ou frango todos os dias e beber mais de três xícaras por dia de fluidos foram negativamente associadas à desnutrição e risco de desnutrição. CONCLUSÃO: A baixa prevalência de desnutrição encontrada neste estudo é, provavelmente, devido à amostra estudada de idosos em boa saúde. Alguns fatores como problema de saúde recente (estresse psicológico ou doença aguda) parecem estar positivamente associados a desnutrição e risco de desnutrição, enquanto o consumo regular de fluidos e alguns tipos de alimentos parece estar associado negativamente com desnutrição.
