Nutritional Risk in Vulnerable Community-Living Seniors

Publication: Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
December 2003

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to quantify nutritional risk in a convenience sample of vulnerable, community-living seniors, and to determine patterns of nutritional risk in these seniors. The sample consisted of 367 seniors who provided health, functional, and nutritional risk information during an interview in which the Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition questionnaire was used. The majority (73.6%) of the sample was female, and the mean age was 79 years. Nutritional risk was identified in 68.7% of the sample, with 44.4% being at high nutritional risk. Common nutritional risk factors were weight change, restricting food, low fruit and vegetable intake, difficulty with chewing, cooking, or shopping, and poor appetite. Principal components analysis identified four independent components within the Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition questionnaire; these components can be described as low food intake, poor appetite, physical and external challenges, and instrumental activity challenges. Data are sparse on nutritional risk in community-living Canadian seniors; despite methodologic limitations in the recruitment process, this study provides some indication of the level of nutrition problems. The patterns of nutritional risk identified in this vulnerable population may help providers identify useful strategies for ameliorating risk. The Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition questionnaire could be used to identify risk and patterns of risk in Canadian seniors, so that treatment could be individualized.

Résumé

Cette étude avait pour but de quantifier le risque nutritionnel dans un échantillon de commodité de personnes âgées vulnérables, vivant à leur domicile, et de déterminer les modèles de risque nutritionnel chez ces personnes. L’échantillon comprenait 367 personnes âgées qui ont fourni de l'information sur leur santé, leurs capacités fonctionnelles et leur risque nutritionnel au cours d'une entrevue où l'on a utilisé le questionnaire « Seniors in the Community: Risk Evaluation for Eating and Nutrition ». La majorité (73,6%) des sujets étaient des femmes et l’âge moyen était de 79 ans. Au total, 68,7% de l’échantillon était à risque nutritionnel, dont 44,4% à risque élevé. Les facteurs de risque nutritionnel les plus courants étaient le changement de poids, les restrictions alimentaires, un faible apport en fruits et légumes, des difficultés de mastication, de préparation et d'achat des aliments et un faible appétit. L'analyse des composantes principales a permis de détecter quatre composantes indépendantes selon le questionnaire: un faible apport alimentaire, un faible appétit, des obstacles physiques et externes et des obstacles liés à des activités essentielles. On dispose de peu de données sur le risque nutritionnel des Canadiens âgés vivant à leur domicile; malgré les limites méthodologiques du processus de recrutement, cette étude fournit des indications sur l'ampleur des problèmes nutritionnels. Les modèles de risque nutritionnel décelés dans cette population vulnérable peuvent aider les prestataires de soins à repérer des stratégies utiles pour diminuer le risque. Le questionnaire peut être utilisé pour déceler le risque et les modèles de risque chez les Canadiens âgés, de façon à personnaliser le traitement.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

cover image Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research
Volume 64Number 4December 2003
Pages: 195 - 201

History

Version of record online: 12 February 2007

Authors

Affiliations

Heather H. Keller, RD, PhD
Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON
Jacquelyn D. McKenzie, RD, MSc
St. Joseph's Hospital, Hamilton, ON

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Cited by

1. Social factors associated with changes in nutrition risk scores measured using SCREEN-8: data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
2. Construct Validation of Three Nutrition Questions Using Health and Diet Ratings in Older Canadian Males Living in the Community

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