ABSTRACT

This study assessed the nutritional vulnerability status of hospitalized older persons in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia and Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba, both in Abia State. This study was carried out using a semi-structured questionnaire which included information about their socioeconomic characteristic, living condition, dietary habit and anthropometric indices as well as factors affecting their nutritional vulnerability. Pearson’s correlation was used to identify the significant relationship (p<0.05) in this study. The nutritional vulnerability was assessed using the mini nutrition assessment (MNA) scores. The nutritional vulnerability scores were 17-23.5 for those at risk of malnutrition, <17 malnourished and 24 was well nourished. BMI grade was <18.5kg/m2 for underweight, 18.5-24.5 kg/m2 (normal), ≥25kg/m2 overweight and 30 kg/m2 (obese).The result revealed that most of the subjects (59.9%) resides in urban area. Occupation revealed that 43.1% were traders, 24.8% were farmers, pensioners (16.5%) and contractors (4.6%). The BMI showed that 27.5% were underweight, those that had normal BMI were 48.6%, those overweight were 20.2% and 3.7% were obese. The mean for weight, hip and waist circumference, mid- upper arm circumference, calf circumference and BMI were significantly lower in males (54.8±10.69, 85.1±14.79, 74.1±13.45, 27.3±4.43, 35.14±5.03 and 20.43±3.08) than in females (59.9±13.43, 92.3±15.49, 79.2±12.63, 28.3±4.96, 37.3±5.21and 22.6±4.28) respectively except for height and waist/ hip ratio which was higher in males (1.64± 0.07 and 0.87±0.04) than in females (1.64± 0.07 and 0.86±0.04 ) respectively. The result on the nutritional vulnerability revealed that majority (62.4%) of the subjects were at risk of malnutrition, 27.5% were normal and 10.1% of the older persons were malnourished. The health conditions more prevalent among the older persons were diabetes mellitus (20.2%), hypertension (11.9%), stroke (10.1%), chronic kidney disease (7.3%), arthritis (3.7%), congestive cardiac failure (3.7%) and breast cancer (1.8%). The results showed a significant relationship (p<0.05) between nutritional vulnerability and age, marital status, residence and level of education. Sex, occupation and source of income were not significantly associated (p>0.05) with nutritional vulnerability. The results revealed that there was a significant relationship (p<0.05) between the subjects BMI, age and sex. Factors such as mobility, mode of feeding, food decline in the past three (3) months, physiological stress or disease and body mass index (BMI) were found to have a significant relationship (p<0.05) with nutritional vulnerability of the subjects. The overall result revealed that mobility, mode of feeding, food decline or inadequate food intake, physiological stress or disease, level of body mass index were found to increases risk of malnutrition. Also, majority of the subjects were at risk of malnutrition.