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Depressive symptoms and risk for malnutrition among hospitalized elderly people

  • Published:
The Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the association between depressive symptoms and risk for malnutrition in hospitalized elderly people.Methods: 195 hospitalized medical patients older than 65 years of age were studied in a cross-sectional design. Depression was assessed by 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), nutritional status was evaluated by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Eating and digestive problems were assessed using selected items of Nutrition Risk Index (NRI), cognitive and functional status by Folstein and Barthel indices respectively; demographic data, diagnoses and medications were obtained from medical records.Results: The prevalence of depression in the studied population was 28%. MNA scores were significantly lower among depressed patients as compared with non-depressed (22.86 vs. 24.96, p < 0.001), indicating a higher risk for undernutrition among depressed persons. After controlling for age, cognitive status, functional ability, and number of illnesses, undernutrition was significantly associated with depression (OR = 2.23; 95% CI: 1.04–4.8).Conclusions: Nutritional risk is associated with depression in aged inpatients. Close case management of the elderly hospitalized patients that include assessment and treatment for both disorders may be beneficial.

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Abbreviations

CC:

calf circumference

GDS:

Geriatric Depression Scale

MAC:

mid-arm circumference

MBI:

Modified Barthel Index

MMSE:

Mini-Mental State Examination

MNA:

Mini-Nutritional Assessment

NRI:

Nutritional Risk Index

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The S. Daniel Abraham International Center for Health and Nutrition, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, 84105, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    L. German, I. Feldblum, N. Bilenko & D. R. Shahar

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Health Services Evaluation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    L. German & N. Bilenko

  3. The Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Aging, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    L. German, H. Castel & D. R. Shahar

  4. Ministry of Health, Southern District, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    N. Bilenko

  5. Department of Internal Medicine C, Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    H. Castel & I. Harman-Boehm

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  1. L. German
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  2. I. Feldblum
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  3. N. Bilenko
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  6. D. R. Shahar
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Correspondence to L. German.

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German, L., Feldblum, I., Bilenko, N. et al. Depressive symptoms and risk for malnutrition among hospitalized elderly people. J Nutr Health Aging 12, 313–318 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02982661

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02982661

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