NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION, BY THE MINI NUTRITIONAL ASSESSMENT, THE INDEPEDENT ELDERLY INSTITUTIONALIZED AND NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED ELDERLY IN A CITY OF THE NORTH TRGION OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the nutritional status of independent elderly in institutionalized and non-institutionalized community Erechim, RS. We evaluated 60 patients of both sexes, 50% institutionalized. Through the mini nutritional assessment, we identified the nutritional status of institutionalized elderly people being 24 (80%) at nutritional risk, while 6 (20%) of non-institutionalized elderly were in this category. By body mass index can diagnose the nutritional status of elderly in the research. Data were analyzed by statistical methods using the SPSS application, version 11. Comparing the results between the two groups applied the "t" of student, the difference of proportions used the coefficient of linear correlation, p ≤ 0.05. Of the 30 elderly subjects, there were 15 (50%) women with a mean age of 73.1 years and 15 (50%) men with a mean age of 70.5 years. Of the 30 non-institutionalized elderly, the average age of women 26 (86.66%) was 73.3 years and 65.2 years for men 4 (13.34%). The statistically significant difference between the institutionalized and non-institutionalized, in the age group of 60-69, nine years, was the body mass index, being lower in the institutionalized group (25.77 kg / m²). The mini nutritional assessment proved to be a useful tool in early diagnosis of nutritional risk in the elderly. In the comparison of anthropometric variables among non-institutionalized and institutionalized groups, the risk of malnutrition is higher in the institutionalized group, even if those variables have been presented with acceptable indices.