J Korean Geriatr Soc.  1997 Dec;1(2):120-139.

Factors Related to Nutritional Status of Elderly in a Korean Rural Commuity

• Cho HS
• Lee HR
• Yoo GJ
• Oh BH
• Kim HS
• Kim KW
• Park JY

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Nutrition is closely related to morbidity and mortality, and active intervention is known to be effective in their prevention. This study evaluates the factors related to nutritional status of elderly, to be used as a basic reference for effective prevention program.
METHODS
The cross-sectional study evaluates the nutritional status of community-living elderly, aged 60 and older, in a Korean rural community. The subject were selected from a two stage cluster sampling. Questionnaire contained demographics, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment(MNA), Mini-Mental Status Exam-Korean(MMSE-K), Geriatric Depression Scale(GDS), IADL, Social support network, and dietary patters. T-test and hierarchical regression models were constructed to explore the factors related to nutritional status.
RESULTS
Mean age was 72+/-7.1 with 101 male subjects and 200 female subject. The MNA score revealed 41.5% of subjects who were at risk of malnutrition. The mean MNA score showed significant differences in terms of following factors: gender, age, education, marital status, income, expenditures, MMSE-K, GDS, social support, instrumental support, regularity of meal, changes in taste, satisfaction in food, unbalanced dietary habit, number of family members sharing the meal, IADL, presence of disease, number of medications(p<0.05). Multiple regression analysis revealed that demographic characteristics explained 7.5% of nutritional status, social support network 6.7%, mental disease 25.3%, dietary pattern 23.8% , and physical disease 22.2% correspondingly. Whole model explained 45.1% of nutritional status. The significant variables were the number of medications, presence of stress, unbalanced dietary habit, regularity of meal, instrumental support, depression, cognition, and satisfaction in food(p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Mental and physical state, dietary pattern, social support network, demographic characteristics were related to nutritional status.

Keyword

Mini-Nutritional Assessment; Social support network; Functional assessment; Depression; Cognitive function

MeSH Terms

Aged*
Cognition
Cross-Sectional Studies
Demography
Depression
Education
Female
Food Habits
Health Expenditures
Humans
Male
Malnutrition
Marital Status
Meals
Mortality
Nutritional Status*
Surveys and Questionnaires
Rural Population