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Mini Nutritional Assessment of rural elderly people in Bangladesh: the impact of demographic, socio-economic and health factors

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posted on 2023-05-19, 03:43 authored by Kabir, ZN, Ferdous, T, Cederholm, T, Masuma KhanamMasuma Khanam, Streatfield, K, Wahlin, A

OBJECTIVE: In stating the Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations aims to halve malnutrition around the world by 2015. Nutritional status of the elderly population in low-income countries is seldom focused upon. The present study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of malnutrition among an elderly population in rural Bangladesh.

DESIGN AND SETTING: Data collection for a multidimensional cross-sectional study of community-based elderly people aged 60 years and over was conducted in a rural area in Bangladesh.

SUBJECTS: Of 850 randomly selected elderly individuals, 625 participated in home interviews. Complete nutritional information was available for 457 individuals (mean age 69+/-8 years, 55% female). Nutritional status was assessed using an adapted form of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) including body mass index (BMI). Age, sex, education, household expenditure on food and self-reported health problems were investigated as potential predictors of nutritional status.

RESULTS: BMI<18.5 kg m(-2), indicating chronic energy deficiency, was found in 50% of the population. MNA revealed a prevalence of 26% for protein-energy malnutrition and 62% for risk of malnutrition. Health problems rather than age had a negative impact on nutritional status. Level of education and food expenditure were directly associated with nutritional status.

CONCLUSION: In order to reduce world hunger by half in the coming decade, it is important to recognise that a substantial proportion of the elderly population, particularly in low-income countries, is undernourished.

History

Publication title

Public health nutrition

Volume

9

Issue

8

Pagination

968-974

ISSN

1368-9800

Department/School

School of Health Sciences

Publisher

C A B I Publishing

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2006 The Authors

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Rural and remote area health

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