Abstract
This study was conducted to compare the nutritional status, nutrient intakes, and chronic disease risks of Chinese elderly people. MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment) developed for elderly people was used to determine their nutritional status. In this study, participants consisted of 148 urban residents aged 65 years and over residing in three cities in Shandong Province, China. Participants were 67 (45.3%) men and 81 (54.7%) women, and average age was 72.8 years. According to MNA score, 77.7% of participants were 'well nourished', 22.3% were 'at risk of malnutrition', and 2% were 'malnourished'. Nutritional status was divided into two groups by MNA score as 'well nourished' and 'malnourished', which was formed with the combination of 'at risk of malnutrition' and 'malnourished'. Compared with the well nourished group, the malnourished group was older, and physical status indicators such as weight, BMI (Body Mass Index), and calf circumference of the malnourished group were much smaller. The malnourished group had higher prevalence rates of heart disease and stomach disorders while the well nourished group had a higher rate of hypertension. There was no significant difference between the malnourished group and well nourished group in nutritional intake below Chinese DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes) among elder males. A higher proportion of elder females showed insufficient intakes of energy, protein, vitamin A, vitamin E, and zinc in the malnourished group compared to the well nourished group. The INQ (Index of Nutrition Quality) of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iodine, and most vitamins was less than 1 in both the malnourished and well nourished groups.
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