Nutrition Risk is Associated With Falls Risk in an Observational Study of Community-Dwelling, Rural, Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives Poor nutritional status is a risk factor for falls and impedes recovery from falls in older adults. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutrition status and fall risk over time in a cohort of older adults. Methods Using an observational analytic study design, we collected demographic, fall risk, nutrition risk, food insecurity, and incident falls data from community-dwelling older Vermonters. Results Data from 708 participants (70.3 years ± 6.6; 82% female) indicate a significant association between fall risk and nutrition risk ( p < 0.001), fall risk and food insecurity ( p < 0.001), and food insecurity and nutrition risk ( p < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, elevated nutrition risk was significantly associated with an incident fall over the next 6 months ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Given the evidence for an association between nutrition status and falls, additional research, in a more diverse population, is needed to understand the nuances of these relationships.