ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION OF DAILY LIVING ACTIVITY OF ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS ACCORDING TO MALNUTRITION STATUS

Abstract

This study was carried to evaluate the anthropometric measurement and daily living activities of elderly individuals according to their malnutrition status. The study was conveyed with 76 older people aged 65 and over, who were not diagnosed with Dementia-Alzheimer's, who could be contacted, and who agreed to participate in the study, living in nursing homes in Karaman City Center. 'MNA (Mini Nutritional Assessment)' was applied to determine the malnutrition status of individuals. The researcher determined anthropometric measurements of individuals (body weight, body mass index (BMI), upper-middle arm circumference, calf circumference) and handgrip strength. The 'Katz Daily Living Activity Scale for the Elderly' was adopted to determine daily living activity in elderly individuals. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with the SPSS 22.0 program. Seventy-six elderly individuals, 50 (65.8%) males, and 26 (34.2%) females, with a mean age of 75.9 ± 7.91 years, participated in the study. According to MNA, when the nutritional status distribution of the elderly is evaluated, 17.1% of the individuals are malnourished (10% of males, 30.8% of females), 28.9% are at risk of malnutrition (36% of males, 15.4 % of females) and 53.9% had a normal nutritional status (54% of males, 53.8% of females). The difference between the malnutrition status of the elderly individuals by gender was statistically significant (p