[Nutritional status of institutionalized Venezuelan elderly]

With the aim of evaluating the nutritional status of institutionalized elders in different geriatric units of the metropolitan area of Caracas, 126 subjects with ages between 60 and 96 years old were evaluated. The Mini Nutritional Assessment was applied and were identified 48.4% individuals with nutritional risk, 5.6% malnourished and 46% without nutritional problems. Females presented higher prevalences of malnutrition and risk, while males presented an adequate nutritional state. By sex and age, females and males over 80 years presented a higher prevalence of malnutrition and risk when they were compared whit those younger. A low dayly liquid intake, a BMI equal or under of 23 kg/m2 and a limited physical performance were the items that presented the highest prevalence among the studied elders. In conclusion, the high prevalence of malnutrition risk in this population group, remarks the necessity to include into the global geriatric evaluation, a quick, simple and non-invasive instrument that allows to estimate the nutritional status of the elders.