MEDİKAL ANTROPOLOJİK PERSPEKTİFTEN YAŞLI NÜFUSTA GEÇİM EKONOMİSİ VE MALNÜTRİSYON: HATAY’DA YAŞAYAN ÇİFTÇİLERDE ZAYIFLIK VE OBEZİTE ORANLARI

Abstract

Objective: In this study, the relationship between malnutrition in the elderly population and the agriculture subsistence economy is examined. Methods: The study was conducted on two groups (farmers and non-farmers) aged 65 and over living in the province of Hatay, Turkey. Anthropometric measurements of 111 (67 males, 44 females) in the farmer group and 89 (41 males, 48 females) in the non-farmer group were taken and their nutritional status was determined. The stature and body weight of the elderly who accepted to participate in the study were measured following international procedures and then body mass index (BMI) values were calculated. Results: In our sample, both groups had a low rate of undernourishment; however, overweight and obesity were more common. While, in males, the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the farmer group was lower than in other occupations, there is no significant difference between females. Within the farmer group itself, overweight and obesity were more common among males, but there was no such difference between the sexes in the control group. Conclusions: In researches conducted on the elderly population in Turkey, the prevalence of obesity was more common among females, in our study, however, the opposite was observed among farmers. Our findings suggest that the activity pattern and daily lifestyle of farmers decrease obesity while the sedentary lifestyle in other occupation groups increase obesity.