Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of frailty and nutritional status among older adults. This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 163 subjects aged 60–88 years, from Hyderabad City, South India. Data were obtained on sociodemographic details and anthropometry and biochemical parameters. Dietary intake was assessed by a three-day 24 h dietary recall, and the probability of adequacy (PA) was calculated using the estimated average requirements. Frailty indicators were as follows: handgrip strength was measured by using a Jamar dynamometer, gait speed was measured by a ten-meter length walk test, and low physical activity level, weight loss, and exhaustion were assessed using a questionnaire. Among the study population, 20% of the participants were frail and 80% were nonfrail. The prevalence of frailty is higher in older (30.1%) than the younger (12.2%) age groups, and it is more so in women (32.4%) than in men (10.1%). The lower educational status and income were associated with frailty. The PA of most of the nutrients was low in the frail group. Noticeably, the mean PA (MPA) across the fourteen micronutrients was significantly higher in nonfrail (38%) compared to the frail group (25%). The prevalence of frailty was higher in the lowest tertile of most of the food groups and nutrient intake compared to the highest tertile. The study revealed a 20% prevalence of frailty among urban older adults and provided evidence that inadequate intake of nutrients is independently associated with frailty.
Highlights
Academic Editor: Barbara Shukitt-Hale e purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of frailty and nutritional status among older adults. is population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 163 subjects aged 60–88 years, from Hyderabad City, South India
The mean probability of adequacy (PA) (MPA) across the fourteen micronutrients was significantly higher in nonfrail (38%) compared to the frail group (25%). e prevalence of frailty was higher in the lowest tertile of most of the food groups and nutrient intake compared to the highest tertile. e study revealed a 20% prevalence of frailty among urban older adults and provided evidence that inadequate intake of nutrients is independently associated with frailty
E Hyderabad City was stratified into four zones, and two wards were selected from each zone by a simple random sampling procedure to capture the entire population of the city
Summary
E adequacy of micronutrients was assessed using the probability approach which relates an individual’s usual intake of nutrients to the distribution of requirements for a particular life stage and gender group using estimated average requirement (EAR) values and its standard deviation (SD) [32,33,34]. As most of the data were skewed, the anthropometric parameters, clinical variables, food groups, and nutrients by frailty status were reported using medians and 25th(P25) and 75th(P75) percentiles, and comparisons for the same were carried out by the Mann–Whitney U test. Association of food groups and nutrient intake according to the tertiles in frail participants is shown in Supplementary Tables 3A and 3B. High prevalence of frailty was observed in the lowest tertile intakes of most of the food groups and nutrients compared to the highest tertile. Model 1 (adjusted for age and gender) and model 2 (adjusted for age, gender, and energy) adjustments did not result in any change in the existing associations
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