Abstract
Abstract
Background
Older adults living in long-term care (LTC) are nutritionally vulnerable. The purpose of this study was to determine diet quality of Canadian LTC residents and its association with malnutrition and low calf circumference.
Methods
A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 32 LTC homes across four Canadian provinces. Nutrient adequacy ratios (NARs) were calculated for seventeen nutrients; mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was calculated to describe overall diet quality. Malnutrition risk was assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and diagnosis of protein/energy malnutrition with the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA). Calf circumference (CC) was also assessed. Linear and logistic regressions for these outcomes with diet quality as the predictor were conducted adjusting for covariates.
Results
Average MNA-SF score was 10.7 ± 2.5. Residents (43.5%) had mild/moderate to severe malnutrition based on the PG-SGA and 32.6% had a CC of < 31 cm. Mean MAR score was 0.79 ± 0.09 with significant differences between those requiring eating assistance (0.77 ± 0.11) and those that did not require assistance (0.80 ± 0.07) (p < .05). MAR score was significantly associated with malnutrition in fully adjusted models: MNA-SF scores [β = 5.34, 95% Confidence interval (CI) (2.81, 7.85)] and PG-SGA [Odds ratio (OR) = 0.49, 95% CI (0.38, 0.64)]. Those who had better diet quality were more likely to be well nourished or not at risk. Although several individual nutrients were associated with low CC (< 31 cm), there was no association between overall diet quality (MAR) and low CC.
Conclusions
Diet quality is associated with malnutrition and individual nutrients (NARs) with a low CC. In addition to calories and protein, nutrient dense diets that promote adequate micronutrient intake are required in LTC.
Funder
Canadian Institutes for Health Research
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Nutrition and Dietetics,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Cited by
9 articles.
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