Abstract
Older adults are vulnerable to malnutrition due to sociologic, physiologic and anatomical effects of ageing. To investigate the influence of nutrition knowledge and dietary patterns on nutritional status of community-dwelling ambulatory older adults. This cross-sectional survey involved 120 elderly aged 60-70 years purposively selected from four peri-urban communities in Ga West municipality, Ghana. Nutrition knowledge was assessed using a structured questionnaire and dietary intakes obtained using a standardized food frequency questionnaire. BMI from weight/height measurements was proxy for nutritional status. Data was analyzed descriptively in SPSS. Associations were tested using correlation analyses (-1<r<+1). 28% had adequate knowledge on geriatric nutrition. Dietary patterns were mostly fair (40%) or poor (53%). Bloating (25%), constipation (18%), appetite loss (12%) and chewing difficulties (11%) affected intakes. Underweight was 10% while 21.7% were overweight or obese (16.6%). Positive insignificant corrections existed between knowledge and nutritional status (r=0.261) and with diet quality (r=0.415). However, strong significant (p=0.027) positive correlation (r=0.699) existed between diet quality and nutritional status. Nutrition knowledge was adequate but dietary intake was poor and a quarter were malnourished. The associations reaffirm that supporting the elderly to make healthy dietary choices and ensuring household food security is crucial to preventing malnutrition.
Highlights
Life expectancy has increased due to advancement in medicine, paramedical sciences and technology[1]
Materials and methods Study setting The study was conducted in the Ga West municipality, one of the 16 administrative districts located in the north-western end of the Greater Accra Region, Ghana
A third with their spouses while the remaining proportion lived with their children and other family members
Summary
Life expectancy has increased due to advancement in medicine, paramedical sciences and technology[1]. The functional capacity and health of the older person depends on their nutritional status and food security, which are the cornerstone in determining nutritional well-being[8,9]. Older persons are most unlikely to eat balanced diets to meet the nutrient needs of their changing physiologic state[10, 11]. This makes them vulnerable to malnutrition with the associated poor health outcomes. Dietary patterns and anthropometric indices of older persons in four peri-urban communities in Ga West municipality, Ghana.
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