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Social and economic correlates of malnutrition in Polish elderly population: The results of PolSenior study

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The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in Polish elderly population and analyse its social and economic correlates based on the data from the PolSenior project, the first large-scale study of a representative group of Polish seniors.

Design

A cross-sectional population-based study.

Setting

All territorial provinces in Poland.

Participants

4482 community-dwelling respondents aged 65 years or above (women: n=2142, age=79.0±8.4 years; men: n=2340, age= 78.3±8.6 years).

Measurements

The nutritional status of participants was assessed through the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (the revised MNA-SF). Out of social and economic correlates we evaluated age, sex, level of education, marital status, place of residence, living conditions and economic status. Economic status of the respondents was determined on the basis of questions on how well they could manage their own budgets. Those who could afford only the cheapest food or clothes were considered the group of self-reported poverty.

Results

Frequency of malnutrition in the PolSenior population accounted for 7.5% (in 5.0% men and 9.0% women; p<0.001). The risk of malnutrition was present in 38.9% (33.3% men and 42.4% women; p<0.001). In our study female sex, older age, unmarried status, living in a rural area and self-reported poverty were independent correlates of malnutrition.

Conclusions

Our data showed high prevalence of malnutrition and the risk of its development among the community-dwelling elderly people in Poland. Screening with MNA-SF should focus in particular on unmarried, poorly educated individuals, in late old age, living in rural areas and self-reporting a poor financial state, especially women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Palliative Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, os. Rusa 25a, Poznan, Poland

    Roma Krzymińska-Siemaszko & K. Wieczorowska-Tobis

  2. International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

    M. Mossakowska & A. Szybalska

  3. Department of Internal Medicine and Gerontology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland

    A. Skalska & A. Klich-Rączka

  4. Home Hospice, Poznan, Poland

    S. Tobis

  5. Laboratory for Occupational Therapy, Department of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    M. Cylkowska-Nowak

  6. Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland

    M. Olszanecka-Glinianowicz & J. Chudek

Authors
  1. Roma Krzymińska-Siemaszko
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  2. M. Mossakowska
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  3. A. Skalska
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  4. A. Klich-Rączka
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  6. A. Szybalska
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  7. M. Cylkowska-Nowak
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  8. M. Olszanecka-Glinianowicz
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Correspondence to Roma Krzymińska-Siemaszko.

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Krzymińska-Siemaszko, R., Mossakowska, M., Skalska, A. et al. Social and economic correlates of malnutrition in Polish elderly population: The results of PolSenior study. J Nutr Health Aging 19, 397–402 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-014-0572-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-014-0572-7

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