Estado nutricional y factores asociados en una muestra de personas mayores frágiles

Abstract

Malnutrition is closely linked to frailty, both conditions have a significant health and social impact. Knowing more about these two geriatric syndromes is of vital importance for the design of future intervention programs that promote the health and quality of life of institutionalized older people. The objective of this work, framed within the FRAGILESS project, has been to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and the factors most frequently associated with the nutritional status of institutionalized frail and pre-frail older people. A cross-sectional study was carried out with a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment, the prevalence of malnutrition observed was 17.4% and the risk of malnutrition was 58.5%. Low scores on the MNA or its MNA-SF version, BMI, impaired cognitive status, the presence of frailty, and swallowing problems were related to the coexistence of malnutrition. Predictors of malnutrition versus normal nutritional status were BMI and the presence of cognitive impairment, frailty, and swallowing disorders. While the determinants of malnutrition against the group at risk of malnutrition were BMI, the presence of frailty and swallowing disorders. Comprehensive assessment and identification of risk factors are essential to inform about the nutritional status of older people.