[Nutritional status and related factors among elderly Brazilians].
OBJECTIVE
This study describes the nutritional status and associated factors among elderly Brazilians.


METHODS
Data from "Pesquisa sobre Padrões de Vida" (PPV- Life Pattern Research), conducted by the "Brazilian Geographic and Statistics Institute" in 1996/1997 were used. Body Mass Index (BMI) was applied to classify nutritional status and is the response variable of this study. Multivariate analysis with polytomous logistic regression was used.


RESULTS
Prevalence of underweight was 5.7%, eutrophy 50.4%, overweight 32.3% and obesity 11.6%. Women have a 1.32 greater chance of overweight (CI 95% 0.99-1.74; p=0.05) and 4.11 of obesity (CI 95% 2.57-6.57; p<0.01). Higher age increased risk of underweight and diminished that of overweight and obesity. Elderly with a lower income have a higher risk of underweight and those with a greater income have higher risk of overweight and obesity. Elderly with a chronic disease have a higher risk of changes in the nutritional status.


CONCLUSIONS
Results show a higher prevalence of overweight and eutrophy and a lower prevalence of obesity and underweight. Characteristics associated with nutritional status other than eutrophy are: gender, schooling, income, chronic health problem and age.
Campos
Marta Alice Gomes
MA
Faculdade de Medicina, UFMG, Belo Horizonte, MG. martaalicecampos@ig.com.br
Pedroso
Enio Roberto Pietra
ER
Lamounier
Joel Alves
JA
Colosimo
Enrico Antonio
EA
Abrantes
Marcelo Militão
MM
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population