Cut-off of Anthropometric Measurements and Nutritional Status among Elderly Outpatients in a Tertiary Health Care Center in Telangana.

Abstract

Introduction:Geriatric population is most vulnerable to various emerging communicable and noncommunicable diseases due to various socio-economic, physiological, psychological and nutritional risk factors. Adequate nutritional status is utmost important in older age as it helps in maintaining the immune response and preventing the morbidities and mortalities in this age. Thus, the opportunistic screening of malnutrition among geriatric population gives an extra edge for achievement of healthy ageing in the elderly. The objective of the present study was to assess the nutritional status among the elderly population and provide cut-off values of various anthropometric measurements for detecting the risk of malnutrition among old age people. Materials and methods:The present cross-sectional study was carried out among people aged . 60 years who visited the geriatric clinic of a tertiary health care center between May and December 2021. The nutritional status of the 468 selected elderly was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) tool and various anthropometric measurements. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Youden index were used to determine the cut-off values of anthropometric measurements. Correlation between various anthropometric parameters was studied. Data was analyzed using SPSS vs. 20 software. Results:Out of the 468 subjects, around one third had a risk of malnutrition and 7% malnutrition as per the MNA scale. Cut-off values of triceps skinfold thickness, neck circumference and arm muscle circumference were 12.5 cm, 32.5 cm, 18.3 cm and 11.5 cm, 35.5 cm, 21.2 cm for detecting malnutrition and risk of malnutrition, respectively. Neck circumference was found to be the most suitable measurement, with a cut-off value of 32.5 cm and 35.5 cm for detecting malnutrition and risk of malnutrition, respectively, as it possessed the highest Youden index and AUC. Conclusion:The prevalence of malnutrition was found to be low in the present study setting. Our findings firmly established that the neck circumference could be used as a simple, rapid, non-invasive and valid screening tool, with high sensitivity and specificity for detecting the risk of malnutrition in geriatric clinics or primary health care settings.