TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults receiving home care
T2 - a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands
AU - van der Pols-Vijlbrief, Rachel
AU - Wijnhoven, Hanneke Ah
AU - Molenaar, Hilde
AU - Visser, Marjolein
PY - 2016/8
Y1 - 2016/8
N2 - OBJECTIVE: It is generally thought that causes of undernutrition are multifactorial, but there are limited quantitative studies performed. We therefore examined a wide range of potential factors associated with undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.SETTING: Community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) receiving home care in the Netherlands.SUBJECTS: Data on potential factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition were collected among 300 older adults. Nutritional status was assessed by the SNAQ65+ instrument. Undernutrition was defined as mid-upper arm circumference <25 cm or unintentional weight loss of ≥4 kg in 6 months. Being at risk of undernutrition was defined as having poor appetite and inability to walk up and down stairs of fifteen steps, without resting.RESULTS: Of all participants, ninety-two (31·7 %) were undernourished and twenty-four (8·0 %) were at risk of undernutrition. Based on multivariate logistic regression analyses, the statistically significant factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition (P<0·05) were: unable to go outside (OR=5·39), intestinal problems (OR=2·88), smoking (OR=2·56), osteoporosis (OR=2·46), eating fewer than three snacks daily (OR=2·61), dependency in activities of daily living (OR=1·21), physical inactivity (OR=2·01), nausea (OR=2·50) and cancer (OR=2·84); a borderline significant factor was depression symptoms (OR=1·83, P=0·053).CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that (risk of) undernutrition is a multifactorial problem and that associated factors can be found in several domains. These findings may support the development of intervention trials for the prevention and treatment of undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults.
AB - OBJECTIVE: It is generally thought that causes of undernutrition are multifactorial, but there are limited quantitative studies performed. We therefore examined a wide range of potential factors associated with undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.SETTING: Community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) receiving home care in the Netherlands.SUBJECTS: Data on potential factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition were collected among 300 older adults. Nutritional status was assessed by the SNAQ65+ instrument. Undernutrition was defined as mid-upper arm circumference <25 cm or unintentional weight loss of ≥4 kg in 6 months. Being at risk of undernutrition was defined as having poor appetite and inability to walk up and down stairs of fifteen steps, without resting.RESULTS: Of all participants, ninety-two (31·7 %) were undernourished and twenty-four (8·0 %) were at risk of undernutrition. Based on multivariate logistic regression analyses, the statistically significant factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition (P<0·05) were: unable to go outside (OR=5·39), intestinal problems (OR=2·88), smoking (OR=2·56), osteoporosis (OR=2·46), eating fewer than three snacks daily (OR=2·61), dependency in activities of daily living (OR=1·21), physical inactivity (OR=2·01), nausea (OR=2·50) and cancer (OR=2·84); a borderline significant factor was depression symptoms (OR=1·83, P=0·053).CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that (risk of) undernutrition is a multifactorial problem and that associated factors can be found in several domains. These findings may support the development of intervention trials for the prevention and treatment of undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults.
KW - Community-dwelling
KW - Cross-sectional
KW - Mid-upper arm circumference
KW - Older adults
KW - Weight loss
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U2 - 10.1017/S1368980016000288
DO - 10.1017/S1368980016000288
M3 - Article
C2 - 26923753
AN - SCOPUS:84959184980
SN - 1368-9800
VL - 19
SP - 2278
EP - 2289
JO - Public Health Nutrition
JF - Public Health Nutrition
IS - 12
ER -