Nutritional status is associated with cognitive function among the elderly at hospital admission in Southwest China

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AbstractBackgroundThe evidence regarding the effect of nutritional status in aging and cognitive impairment has not been proved yet although the effects of malnutrition on progression in AD and dementia is becoming established.Method2365 participants aged 60 years or above were recruited from January 2013 to September 2019. They were divided into three age groups: young older (60–69 years), middle older (70–79 years), and old older (≥80 years). Nutrition status was analyzed via the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA‐SF). Global cognitive function was assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). Nutrition‐associated factors were analyzed, including Barthel Index (BI), Body mass index (BMI), social factors (education status, marital status).ResultThe mean age was 76.24±7.91 years and 45.9% were males. 33.45% were identified as malnutrition risk and 5.54% malnourished. In the old older group (≥80 years), 48.63% were malnutrition or at risk for malnutrition and 53.65% have cognitive impairment. In middle older group (60–69 years), 31.79% were at risk of malnutrition and 4.62% were malnourished, while 32.24% of them had impaired cognitive function. However, prevalence of malnutrition and at risk for malnutrition was 3.49% and 25.25% in young older group (60–69 years), respectively; moreover, only 18.77% of participants have cognitive impairment. MNA‐SF score was positively correlated with MMSE score (R= 0.392, P < 0.0001) and BI (R=0.398, P< 0.0001) in old older group. Participants who were at risk of malnutrition or malnourished had significantly poorer performance in the cognitive test (P < 0.001) in comparison to those who were well nourished. In particular, the association of the orientation (R= 0.381, P < 0.0001) and the language (R= 0.302, P < 0.0001) with nutritional status were most pronounced in old older group.ConclusionThe prevalence of malnutrition and cognitive impairment increases with age, especially in patients over 80 years old. Malnutrition is associated with cognitive impairment. There was also a moderate correlation between nutritional status and cognition domain including orientation and language. The implication of this is the possibility that malnutrition is an important driving factor of cognitive decline. Thus, patients with cognition impairment should pay more attention to nutritional status.