Last update:
   01-Oct-2015
 

Arch Hellen Med, 32(5), September-October 2015, 622-628

ORIGINAL PAPER

Assessment of the nutritional index of the elderly in an Open Care Center
and correlation with their socioeconomic status and health indicators

A. Plexida,1 T. Vasilakou,2 E. Kaba,3 G. Fasoi,3 M. Kelesi,3 S. Zyga4
1Primary Health Clinics, Neo Iraklion, Attica,
2Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, National School of Public Health, Athens,
3Department of Nursing, School of Health and Welfare, Technological Educational Institute of Athens, Athens,
4Department of Nursing, Faculty of Human Movement and Quality of Life Sciences, University of the Peloponnese, Sparta, Greece

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the nutrition index of elderly persons in an Open Care Center for the Elderly and its correlation with their socioeconomic status and health indicators.

METHOD The sample consisted of 120 elderly people who attended the Open Care Center for the Elderly in a municipality of Attica. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire was used, which includes four categories of variables, namely anthropometric data, nutritional evaluation, subjective evaluation and an overall assessment of the individual.

RESULTS Of the sample of elderly individuals, 58.3% were found in good nutritional status, 35.8% at risk of malnutrition and 5.8% in a state of malnutrition. The nutrition index found to be related to age, economic and marital status, educational level and cohabitation. Those with hypertension and several other diseases registered a lower nutrition index and those who did housework a higher nutrition index.

CONCLUSIONS As a significant number of elderly people are at risk of malnutrition, more emphasis needs to be given to the prevention and treatment of this condition.

Key words: Demographic variables, Diet, Elderly, Malnutrition, Nutrition index.

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