title: Nutritional status assessment of institutionalized elderly in Prague, Czech Republic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are few studies in the Czech Republic describing and evaluating the nutritional status of institutionalized elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected from 659 women and 156 men aged 65 years and older and living in retirement homes in and around Prague. Data included: a Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA questionnaire), anthropometric measurements and biochemical evaluations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the MNA questionnaire, 10.2% of these elderly individuals were malnourished and 39.4% were at risk of malnutrition. More women than men were malnourished (OR = 0.59 and 95% CI 0.42-0.86). Mean BMI values were 25.5 for females and 27.5 for males. MNA was positively correlated mostly with immobility (r = 0.63; p < 0.001), BMI (r = 0.57; p < 0.001) and mid-arm circumference (r = 0.56; p < 0.001). Serum albumin levels were <28 g/l in 1.3% (1.3% of the women and 1.36% of the men) and between 29.0 - 34.0 g/l in 21% (22.5% of the women and 14.4% of the men). Statistically significant differences between groups according to MNA scores were found for albumin, prealbumin, transferrin and creatinine. Prevalence of smoking was significantly higher among males.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results confirmed that institutionalized elderly, especially women, should be considered a nutritionally vulnerable population group that needs attention.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research of Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. jolana.rambouskova@lf3.cuni.cz
authors.forename: Jolana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rambousková
authors.forename: Miroslava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Slavíková
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krsková
authors.forename: Bohumír
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Procházka
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anděl
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dlouhý
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012306:Risk; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human; D012737:Sex Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis; D035862:Vulnerable Populations
chemical_list: C422455:ALB protein, human; D011228:Prealbumin; D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; D003404:Creatinine; D000075462:Serum Albumin, Human