Nutritional Status among Portuguese and Turkish Older Adults Living in the Community: Relationships with Sociodemographic, Health and Anthropometric Characteristics

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2023

Authors

Ozturk, ME (Author) Other; Poínhos, Rui (Author) FCNAUP; Afonso, Cláudia (Author) FCNAUP; Ayhan, NY (Author) Other; Almeida, Maria Daniel Vaz de (Author) FCNAUP; Bruno M P M Oliveira (Author) FCNAUP

Journal

Title: Nutrients

Vol. 15 No. 4

Final page: 1333

ISSN: 2072-6643

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 3 Citations

Scopus - 5 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences

FOS: Medical and Health sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Y-1NF

DOI: 10.3390/nu15061333

Abstract (EN): Malnutrition is widespread among older adults, and its determinants may differ between countries. We compared Portuguese and Turkish non-institutionalized older adults regarding nutritional status, sociodemographic, health and anthropometric characteristics and studied the relationships between nutritional status and those characteristics. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 430 Portuguese and 162 Turkish non-institutionalized older adults regarding sociodemographics, health conditions, the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA-FF) and anthropometry. Turkish older adults were more likely to be malnourished or at risk of malnutrition and had lower average BMI but a higher calf circumference. A higher proportion of the Portuguese sample had tooth loss, diabetes, hypertension, oncologic diseases, kidney diseases, osteoarticular problems or eye problems, while less had anemia. A better nutritional status (higher MNA-FF score) was found among the Portuguese, males, people using dentures, those without tooth loss, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, anemia or oncological diseases and was related to younger age, higher BMI and a higher calf circumference. Malnutrition and its risk were higher among older adults from Turkey, despite Portuguese older adults presenting a higher prevalence of chronic diseases. Being female, older age, tooth loss, hypertension, anemia, CVD or oncological disorders and having a lower BMI or CC were associated with higher rates of malnutrition among older adults from Portugal and Turkey.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12