Nutritional Status and Related Factors in Elderly Nursing Home Residents

A challenge for health care providers is that there will be a distinct rise globally in the number of elderly people aged 80 years and over. Malnutrition is a well-known problem among elderly people. The aim of this study was to determine nutritional status and its associated risk factors in elderly nursing home residents in Tehran, Iran. The cross-sectional study was carried out among 385 elderly people aged 60 years or elder in 2014. All subjects who were attending to daily care centers for elderly people entered the study voluntarily. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) tool was used to evaluate nutritional status. Of participants, 13.25% were malnourished according to MNA, 60% were at risk for Malnutrition, and 26.75% were well fed. In other words, 73.25% of elderly people were at risk of or suffering from Malnutrition. Nutritional status of the elderly based on MNA, was significantly associated with history of acute illness or stress, recent mobility problems, nervous mental depression, personal views about nutrition and health status. Considering the high percentage of elderly people eat risk or suffering from malnutrition in nursing homes, the need for nutritional interventions seems to be crucial.