title: [Prevalence of malnutrition among institutionalized elderly subjects in Trieste, Northen Italy)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to evaluate nutritional status in a representative sample of guests of residential homes for the elderly using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA, Nestlè®) and compare results with data from literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional study of prevalence using cluster sampling in two stages.
  
  
  METHODS
  the investigation focused on a sample of 420 guests of 37 facilities for the elderly, out of 2,967 residents in 89 facilities in the province of Trieste. The target population was characterised by age  65 years, with different degrees of self-sufficiency. Data were collected during 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  nutritional status as defined by the MNA (good, bad, risk of malnutrition).
  
  
  RESULTS
  the prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition are respectively 14.1% (CI95% 10.2-18.0) and 48.6% (CI95%43.4-53.8).The prevalence of malnutrition is higher among people residing in facilities for non self-sufficient guests: 21.4%(14.9 to 27.9) versus 9.5%(4.7 to 14.3) among people residing in facilities for self-sufficient guests. The intracluster correlation coefficients (ICC) and the relative standard error (ES) for the variables "normal nutritional status", "risk of malnutrition " and "bad nutrition" are respectively 0.19 (0.05); 0.02 (0.03); 0.05 (0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  the prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition in residential facilities for the elderly in the province of Trieste is in line with the literature. The adoption of systematic nutritional screening, under the supervision and the support of the Prevention Departments, would allow a timely adoption of preventive and targeted therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di prevenzione, Azienda sanitaria locale 1 Triestina. riccardo.tominz@ass1.sanita.fvg.it
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tominz
authors.forename: Carmela Daniela
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Germano
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bovenzi
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Del Pio Luogo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007326:Institutionalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires