Inventory of risk factors for a reduced nutritional status in Dutch elderly living at home: results of self-screening
Abstract
Introduction
This manuscript describes nutritional risk factors for malnutrition among Dutch community-dwelling older adults, based on self-reported data from an online questionnaire.
Methods
Anonymous, cross-sectional data, based on the SCREEN II questionnaire, was derived from the website www.goedgevoedouderworden.nl. SCREEN II consists of 16 items on eating habits and nutritional risk factors. A maximum of 64 points can be scored and a score below 54 indicates an overall nutritional risk. Differences between age groups (65-74, 75-84 and ³85 year), based on the cut-off point of 54 points, were tested by a logistic regression. Differences in total scores between age groups were tested by ANOVA.
Results
A total of 2228 questionnaires were available for analyses. Mean score on SCREEN II was 48.0 (SD:6.8) for participants aged 65-74, 45.4 (SD:8.5) for participants aged 75-84 years and 39.3 (SD:8.9) for participants aged ³85 year. A score below 54 was found in 81.0% of participants aged 65-74, 85.8% of participants aged 75-84 year and 96.6% in participants aged ³85 year. Most frequently reported risk factors were; perception of a too high/low bodyweight, a low intake of: meat(replacements), fish, dairy, fruit and vegetables, and -in the highest age group- problems with doing groceries and frequently eating alone.
Conclusion
The majority of of community-dwelling older adults who performed self-screening on www.goedgevoedouderworden.nl was at nutritional risk. Highest risk was seen in the oldest age group; in the age group ³85 year nearly over 95% of respondents were at nutritional risk.