DIVERSIFIED ANALYSIS OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS IN JAPAN

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to comprehensively analyze the nutritional status of community-dwelling older adults in Japan. Design and Participant: Participants included 48 outpatients (13 males and 35 females) aged ≧65 years who visited a private clinic in an urban city. Body height, body weight, and blood variables, including albumin, lymphocyte counts and total cholesterol, and pre-albumin, were obtained from the patient charts. The MNA-SF and nutritional intakes, using an established semiquantitative questionnaire, were conducted by an interview with a dietitian. Results: Nutritional risk assessment by MNA-SF revealed that 13 patients (27.1%) were at a risk of malnutrition and 4 patients (8.3%) demonstrated thinness, i.e., BMI <18.5 kg/m2. No statistical difference in terms of sex was found in the MNA-SF or BMI analyses. The caloric, protein, and lipid intake, adjusted by body weight, were significantly higher in females than in males. The daily caloric intake of 15 patients (31.3%) was below the estimated energy requirements defined by Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2015), and the frequency of low estimated energy requirements was significantly higher in males than in females. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that both BMI and MNA-SF were associated with albumin levels. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that malnutrition is not prevalent among community-dwelling older adults in Japan. Albumin may work as indicators for predicting malnutrition. Considering the lower caloric, protein, and lipid intake of males compared with females, caregivers should note that older adult males may be at a higher risk of malnutrition.