Valoración antropométrica y bioquímica de ancianos venezolanos institucionalizados

Abstract

AbstractTo characterise anthropometric and biochemical variables among the elderly population, 31 men and 32 women (aged 60 or more years) from a geriatric home in Valencia, Venezuela were studied. Weight, height, knee height, mid-upper arm circumference (MAC), triceps skinfold (TSF), mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC), fat area, and body mass index (BMI) were determined. Haemoglobin, lymphocyte count, albumin, transferrin and serum cholesterol were also measured. Student's t test, χ2, and ANOVA were performed. A total of 60.3% of the patients were aged less than 80 years old, while 39.7% were aged 80 years old or more. According to BMI measurements, 9.5% of the subjects had low weight and 11.1% were obese. Obesity was more frequent among women than men (χ2 = 13.4; p < 0.05). The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale revealed that 14.3% were suffering from malnutrition, 69.8% were at nutritional risk, and 15.9% had satisfactory nutritional status. Women showed significantly higher values for TSF, MAC, BMI, fat area and lymphocyte count than men (p < 0.05), but lower values for height, haemoglobin, haemocrit, albumin and cholesterol. Anthropometric values (at the 50th percentile) in the elderly aged less than 80 years were higher than in those aged. 80 years. Biochemical values showed no significant differences by age. Significant differences were found only between the malnourished group and the group at nutritional risk (p < 0.05) in weight, MAC, MAMC and fat area and between the malnourished group and the group with satisfactory nutritional status in age, weight, MAC, MAMC and fat area. Anemia was found in 9.5%, low transferring levels in 17.4%, low albumin levels in 31.7%, leucopenia in 9.5%, and low cholesterol in 18%; women were more frequently affected than men. Wide variability in anthropometric and biochemical parameters in relation to ageing was found, which increases nutritional risk.