Meals-on-wheels applicants are a population at risk for poor nutritional status.
OBJECTIVE
To identify older adults with poor nutritional status among the independent-living elderly applying for meals-on-wheels, and to compare how a self-assessment tool and more traditional criteria identify nutritional risk.


METHODS
Descriptive study.


METHODS
Meals-on-wheels applicants (n = 230 between 60 and 90 years of age (mean age = 77.4 +/- 7 years) who were free from terminal illness. Nutrition assessment data were collected in the home of each participant.


METHODS
Risk assessment for poor nutritional status was determined using anthropometric, dietary, and laboratory data and with a Nutrition Screening Initiative (NSI) self-assessment tool-the "DETERMINE Your Nutritional Health" checklist.


METHODS
Differences were assessed using Student's t test for unpaired data.


RESULTS
Seventy-four percent of study participants were found to be at risk for poor nutritional status according to the study criteria, and 98% were at risk for poor nutritional status according to the NSI self-assessment tool.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of the applicants for meals-on-wheels were at risk for poor nutritional status. Thus, many independent-living older adults may need additional nutrition assessment and intervention to remain independent and in good nutritional status.
Coulston
A M
AM
General Clinical Research Center at Stanford University Medical Center, Calif 94305, USA.
Craig
L
L
Voss
A C
AC
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D005260:Female; D005522:Food Services / Q000592:standards*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018570:Risk Assessment