Nutritional assessment in elderly hospitalized patients in Qazvin Teaching Hospitals in 2011

Nutritional status in the elderly is an important issue in developing countries has been little attention to it. It results from complex interaction between personal and environmental factors that have a considerable effect on mortality، morbidity and quality of life of elderly people especially the hospitalized ones. The aim of this study was to investigate nutritional status in elderly hospitalized patients in Qazvin Teaching Hospitals and know Influential factors to plan appropriate programs for improving their health. In this cross-sectional study 233 elderly (151 women and 171 men) aging more than 60 years، hospitalized in two hospitals in Qazvin city were studied. Nutritional status were evaluated using Mini Nutritional Assessment، The nutritional status was classified into: malnourished، risk of malnutrition and without malnutrition (adequate). Among the assessed elderly 29. 8% were well nourish، 13. 4% malnourished and 42. 95 at risk of malnutrition. There was more malnutrition in females compared to males (25. 8% vs 7. 2; p<0. 001) BMI<19 than BMI >=23 (62. 5% vs. 12. 6%; p<0. 001)، Statistical analysis of the studied variables showed that nutritional status were significantly associated with Age، BMI، WC and WHR This study confirms a high prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalized elderly patients. The assessment of nutritional status with MNA that can facilitate evaluation of the nutritional status of elderly individuals in hospitals