Impact of quality of life on nutritional risk and malnutrition: a cross-sectional study in elderly patients

Authors : Muharrem Bayrak, Gökhan Özpolat

Pages : 919-926

Doi:10.32322/jhsm.983161

View : 27 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 2021-09-24

Article Type : Research

Abstract :Objectives: To investigate prevalence of malnutrition and nutritional risk, related factors, and the association between nutritional status and quality of life in the elderly. Material and Method: Cross-sectional study. Participants; elderly (≥65 years) patients without severe hearing and vision impairment and dependency on a bed or wheel chair who admitted internal medicine outpatient clinics. Measurements; the mini nutritional assessment questionnaire, Charlson comorbidity index, the World Health Organization quality of life (WHOQOL-OLD) questionnaire. Intervention; none. Results: The study included 532 patients with a mean age of 70.8±5.4 years. The median Mini Nutritional Assessment score was 26, and the total prevalence of nutritional risk and malnutrition was 26.7%. There were significant differences between the nutritional groups regarding the educational, living, and marital status, smoking history, presence of any systemic disease, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and polypharmacy (p<0.05). WHOQOL-OLD and its subdomain scores had a significant relationship with having nutritional risk or malnutrition (p<0.001). Total WHOQOL-OLD score and the Charlson Comorbidity Index were significant independent risk factors for developing nutritional risk and malnutrition. Conclusion: Having nutritional risk or malnutrition in the elderly were significantly associated with the Charlson Comorbidity Index and the WHOQOL-OLD total and its subdomain scores.
Keywords : elderly, nutritional status, malnutrition, health-related quality of life, comorbidity