Prevalencia de malnutrición y factores asociados en adultos mayores del cantón Gualaceo, Ecuador

Malnutrition and its underlying factors are a worldwide concern; as many of them can be modified, which in turn would positively impact healthy aging. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and associated factors among the elderly of Gualaceo, Ecuador, using a cross-sectional design with 250 elderly participants. Sampling was probabilistic, stratified and randomized in Gualaceo, Ecuador. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment; depression with the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale; physical activity with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, socioeconomic level with the Survey Of Stratification of the Socioeconomic Level of the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses, and laboratory parameters. Descriptive statistics, prevalence ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated and multivariate analysis was conducted. The prevalence of malnutrition was 20.4%, the risk of malnutrition 47.2%, and 32.4% had a satisfactory nutritional status. The mean age was 76.3 (±8.2) years. One fifth of the sample of elderly residents of the Gualaceo town had malnutrition and is associated with depression, sedentary lifestyle, low socioeconomic status and anemia, ratifying malnutrition as a public health problem.