Dietary intake and iron status of institutionalized elderly people: relationship with different factors

Aims of the study were to investigate iron status in institutionalized elderly subjects and to determine its association with different factors including: age, gender, body mass index, dietary intake, consumption of iron supplements, functional status and disease.

A cross-sectional study.

Seven public nursing homes.

252 subjects, aged 65-96 years.

Food intake was assessed by a 4-day weighed-food record. Iron status indices were measured. Barthel' s Index was used to evaluate functional status. Illnesses were ascertained from medical records.

Anemia was found in 25.4% of subjects studied. Average dietary intakes fulfilled the amounts of Recommended Dietary Intake for Spanish elderly population, except for folate. A substantial percentage of subjects exhibited folate dietary deficit (89.2%). Mean (SD) BMI was 27.8 (6.4) kg/m2, and functional status 78.1 (26.5). Taking into account hematocrit, red blood cell count and serum iron concentration values, poor iron status was significantly more common in men (59.4, 61.4 and 16.8%, respectively) than in women (36.4, 36.4 and 6.0%, respectively). Hemoglobin concentration was positively associated with the energy and nutrient dietary intake, and negatively with age, BMI and functional status.

Based on World Health Organization criteria, anemia was found in 25.4% of elderly subjects studied. Iron deficiency seems to be the main cause of anemia, and chronic disease the second cause of anemia. Dietary intake is not one of the principal causes of anemia in the study population, except for folate intake.