Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026

Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Prevalence of malnutrition in patients with Parkinson's disease: a comparative study with healthy controls using Mini
Seyed-Mohammad Fereshtehnejad1, Ladan Ghazi2, Motahhareh Sadeghi3
1Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Firoozgar Clinical Research Development Center (FCRDC), Firoozgar Hospital, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
The magnitude of malnutrition in the Parkinson's disease (PD) population has yet to be accurately quantified.
Objective:
We aimed to estimate and compare the prevalence of malnourished and those at risk of malnutrition in Iranian PD patients with a matched control group using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA) and anthropometric measurements.
Methods:
Nutritional status was evaluated in 143 Iranian PD patients (case group) and 145 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (control group) using the validated Persian version of the MNA. Individuals suffering from chronic comorbidities influencing nutritional state (hypertension and diabetes), following special diets and those with cognitive impairment were excluded. Using the MNA, a total score of <17 indicated malnutrition and scores of 17-23.5 signified cases at risk for malnutrition.
Results:
The mean of total MNA score was not significantly different between two study groups [24.4 (SD = 3.8) in controls vs. 25.1 (SD = 3.4) in PD patients; P = 0.094]. Three (2.1%) PD patients were suffering from malnutrition and another 37 (25.9%) were at risk of malnutrition; while in control group similar feature was observed (2.0% malnourished and 35.2% at risk of malnutrition; P = 0.228). The mean of calf circumference (CC) was significantly lower in PD patients [34.9 (SD = 3.8) cm vs. 36.0 (SD = 5.1) cm; P = 0.046].
Conclusions:
Our findings indicate the same nutritional status among mild to moderate PD patients compared with healthy controls. However, more than a quarter of the PD population was found to be at risk of malnutrition necessitating more attention towards nutritional assessment in PD.
Related Concept Videos
Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology
Parkinson Disease l: Introduction
Parkinson's Disease: Overview
Parkinson's Disease: Treatment
Parkinson's Disease is primarily a result of the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. The cornerstone of...
Neural Regulation
Alterations in Muscle Tone lll