Nutritional status in a multicenter study among institutionalized patients in Spain

The aim of our study was to investigate and evaluate, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of malnutrition as well as the relationship between different anthropometric and biochemical markers with Mininutritional assessment (MNA) scores.

A representative sample of the institutionalized Spanish population aged 65 and older (stricly speaking, born in 1942 or earlier), is covered in this cross-sectional survey. Anthropometric variables, MNA test and biochemical evaluation were performed by Geriatrics Units specialists.

The percentage of patients classified as well nourished (27.8%) was larger in the 85-94 (39.4%) range than in the 65-74 (26.2%), 75-84 (24%) and > 95 (14.8%) age ranges. A population of 254 patients (49.6%) were at risk of undernutrition, a number which was larger in 75-84 (52%), 65-74 (53.8%) and > 95 (53.7%) than in the 85-94 (44.1%) ones. On the other hand, undernourishment (22.5%) was larger in those of 95 and older (31.5%) than in 85-94 (16.5%), 75-84 (24%) and 65-74 (20%) patients. According to our investigation females are worse nourished (Odd's Ratio 0.51 CI 95%: 0.33-0.79) and, consequently, more undernourished (Odd's Ratio 2.36 CI 95%: 1.48-3.74) than males. No significant differences in the "at risk of undernutrition category" (Odd's Ratio 0.76 CI 95%: 0.52-1.10) were observed but, in transferrin, iron, haemoglobin and total cholesterol, statistical differences among MNA classification were detected. MNA scores were correlated with iron, total cholesterol, albumin, transferrin, age and haemoglobin.

In this multicenter study, institutionalized patients have a high prevalence of undernutrition or are at-risk, as well as females are more undernourished than males.