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Evaluation of Malnutrition among Elderly People Living in Nursing Homes by Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) in Turkey
Gülüşan ÖZGÜN BAŞIBÜYÜK, Parvin AYREMLOU, Sakineh Nouri SAEIDLOU, Ziynet ÇINAR, Faruk AY, Yener BEKTAŞ and Gábor Áron VITÁLYOS
ABSTRACT
Background: Average life expectancy increases year after year throughout the world. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test is one of the most extensively applied tools for identifying the nutritional risks in elderly people. Here, we assess the nutritional status of elderlies accommodated in nursing homes by the MNA-SF test.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of 773 elderly individuals living in nursing homes was conducted to evaluate their nutritional status, using the mini nutritional assessment questionnaire (MNA-SF), in Turkey.
Results: In this cross-sectional study, 773 elderly individuals were included. Of these, 404 (52.27%) were men and 369 (47.73%) women. Of all subjects, 8.4% were malnourished, 37% at risk of malnutrition, and 54.6% well nourished. In terms of frequency of subjects at risk of malnutrition (43.6% in women and 30.9% in men) and well-nourished (47.2% in women and 61.4% in men), there was a statistically significant difference between women and men (p<0.001). The results showed that 80% and 58.5% of individuals with malnutrition had a sharp or moderate reduction in food intakes, respectively, and their weight loss was greater than three kg in the last three months. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Regression results indicated that the lower MNA-score was independently associated with higher age (r=-0.2). Moreover, the MNA-score had a significant positive correlation with weight (r=0.42), BMI (r=0.34), MACs (r=0.33) and CCs (r=0.32) (P<0.001).
Conclusion: This study reveals that nursing home residents are at increased risk of malnutrition, and this problem is associated with weight loss, increased drug use, health status, and decline in physical activity and food intake.
Keywords: nursing home, elderly, malnutrition, MNA–Short Form, Turkey