Study of the prevalence of the risk of malnutrition in the non-institutionalized population over 65 years old attended in a health centre in Barcelona

• Published in: Enfermería clínica (Internet. English ed.) 2021-03, Vol.31 (2), p.71-81
• Main Authors: Eroles-Busquets, Montserrat, García-Cerdán, M. Rosa, Mejías-Serrano, M. Trinidad, Giner-Nogueras, Roser, Vázquez-González, Inés, Reinoso-Iñiguez, Jana Isabel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ancianos; Atención primaria; Desnutrición; Elderly; Malnutrition; Nutrition assesessment; Primary health care; Valoración nutricional
• ISSN: 2445-1479; 2445-1479
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enfcle.2020.10.008

To know the prevalence of risk of malnutrition in community-dwelling elderly (defined as aged > 65) attended in a Primary Care Center, to find the main factors associated to malnutrition risk and to evaluate the Mini Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (MNA) MNA Short Form vs. MNA Full Test. Design: Cross-Sectional study. Setting: Primary Care Center. Subjects: 337 participants visited in the Community Care Center. Mini Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (MNA) was applied; sociodemographic and Health variables were collected as well as functional evaluation tests (Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire and Lawton & Brody Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale). Clinical history information was taken from the Medical Records. Using MNA Full Test (MNA-FT) as the gold standard, sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of MNA Short Form (MNA-SF) were evaluated. Prevalence according MNA-FT was 0.6% for malnutrition and 7.7% for malnutrition risk. No gender differences were found. The average age was higher in the population with malnutrition or at risk for malnutrition (P = .016). Significant association of malnutrition with having carer (P