title: Factors associated with poor nutritional status among the oldest-old.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Older adults are at increased risk for malnutrition. The aim was to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for poor nutritional status in oldest-old Chinese.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community-living Chinese aged 90 and over were included in the study. Nutritional status was evaluated by using the Mini Nutritional Assessment short-form (MNA-SF). Demographic and socioeconomic status, health status, cognitive, behavioral, and lifestyle factors were collected via structured questionnaires during face-to-face interviews.
  
  
  RESULTS
  632 individuals (424 F, 208 M, 94 ± 3 y) were included. We found that 36 (5.7%) participants were classified as being malnourished (MNA-SF < 7), 445 (70.4%) were classified as being at risk for malnutrition (8 ≤ MNA-SF ≤ 11), and 151 (23.9%) were considered as well-nourished (MNA-SF ≥ 12). Ordinal logistic regression showed that significant risk factors for poor nutritional status included older age, poor cognitive function, gastrointestinal (GI) system disease, poor self-rated health, and lower serum albumin level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that the majority of the Chinese oldest-old were at risk for malnutrition. Nutritional assessment should be incorporated into regular geriatric screening among community-living oldest-old in China. Interventions targeting those at risk for malnutrition should be developed to improve health outcomes among this vulnerable population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8338, USA. jiluxi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Luxi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Hongdao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Birong
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D058620:Elder Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires