Old Age

Biomedical Research 2011; 22 (1): 120-126

Comparative study of nutritional status of elderly population living in the home for aged vs those living in the community
M Kirtana Pai
Department of Physiology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India

Abstract
The higher incidence of malnutrition in elderly is well documented. Elderly nursing home residents seem to have a higher risk of malnutrition with respect to the community dwelling elderly population. A comparative study was therefore performed to evaluate the nutritional status of elderly living at old age homes and in community, in the city of Mangalore. Subjects aged over 60 years were included in this study. Nutritional status was evaluated by anthropometric measurements to calculate the Body Mass Index, W/H ratio, and Triceps skin fold thickness and by data collected through the Mini Nutritional Assessment. A total of two hundred and ten subjects participated in this study. The study subjects were constituted by 108 inmates of old age homes and 102 people who were residing at their houses. The results showed that the elderly at home had higher BMI (p23.5 - satisfactory nutritional status 17-23.5- at risk of malnutrition < 17 -malnutrition Gender, categories of MNA score and W/H ratio were summarized using frequency and percentage across the elderly at old age home and at home. Chi Square test was used to compare the differences in nutritional status between two groups and to find the association between nutritional status and co morbid illness at old age home and home separately. Age, Height, Weight, BMI, Mid upper arm circumference, Calf circumference, Triceps skin fold thickness, Waist and Hip circumferences, and MNA scores were summarized using median and Interquartile range across the two elderly groups. Mann Whitney U test was used to compare the median differences between the two groups. Pearsons correlation coefficients were performed for linear relations between total MNA scores and BMI, MUAC,... [continues]

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