Nutritional status of an elderly population in Southwest China: a cross-sectional study based on comprehensive...

Few data is available on the nutritional status of old Chinese. The present study aimed to describe the nutritional status and clinical correlates for malnutrition risk in the older people.

Cross-sectional study.

Hospital- and community-based older people were recruited in the region of Chongqing, China.

558 individuals aged 60 years old or over between April 2011 and October 2012.

Comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed and nutritional status was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). Nutrition-associated factors were analyzed, including health status (chronic diseases, depression, cognition, function impaired), social factors (education status, marital status, the type of work before 60 years old) and life style factors (smoking, drinking, diet).

The mean age was 73.1±8.0 years and 43.9% were men. Prevalence of malnutrition and risk for malnutrition were 3.2% and 19.3 %, respectively. Several factors increased poor nutrition independently including self-rated health, comorbidity, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, gastrointestinal disease and cognitive impairment. Fish decreased the risk of poor nutrition.

The prevalence was relatively low in older people of Chongqing, Southwest China. Poor nutrition was found to be increased due to the common health problems. Thus the patients with these problems should pay more attention on nutritional status. The older people should often have fish because of their nutritional benefit.