title: High prevalence of undernutrition and low dietary diversity in institutionalised elderly living in Sri Lanka.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to assess nutritional status, dietary diversity and lifestyle risk factors associated with undernutrition in an institutionalised Sri Lankan elderly population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was of cross-sectional design followed by a stratified sampling method.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve homes for the elderly recruited from six provinces in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 311 institutionalised elderly aged ≥60 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the study population was 75 (sd 8) years. Prevalence of undernutrition was 30 %. Mean food variety score, dietary diversity score and dietary serving score of the study population were 8·7 (sd 1·5), 7·3 (sd 1·2) and 10·9 (sd 2·0), respectively. Mean daily intakes of fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, eggs and pulses and dairy portions were below the national recommendations, whereas the mean consumption of sugar exceeded the national recommendation. Only the mean intake of starch was within the recommendation. Food allergies (OR=8·0; 95 % CI 3·9, 16·2), skipping meals (OR=3·8; 95 % CI 2·0, 7·5) and lack of leisure activities (OR=3·1; 95 % CI 1·5, 6·7) significantly increased the risk of undernutrition, whereas the use of dentures decreased the risk (OR=0·20; 95 % CI 0·06, 0·69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High prevalence of undernutrition and low dietary diversity were observed in an institutionalised elderly Sri Lankan population. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement nutrition interventions as part of geriatric care to reduce undernutrition and improve the diets of the institutionalised elderly population in Sri Lanka.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Applied Nutrition, Faculty of Livestock,Fisheries & Nutrition,Wayamba University of Sri Lanka,Makandura 60170,Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Kumari M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rathnayake
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Applied Nutrition, Faculty of Livestock,Fisheries & Nutrition,Wayamba University of Sri Lanka,Makandura 60170,Sri Lanka.
authors.forename: Mppm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wimalathunga
authors.affiliation: 2Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research,Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences,University of Reading,Reading,UK.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weech
authors.affiliation: 2Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research,Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences,University of Reading,Reading,UK.
authors.forename: Kim G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: 2Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research,Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences,University of Reading,Reading,UK.
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lovegrove
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003778:Dentures; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D005260:Female; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000150:complications; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D007326:Institutionalization; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D062407:Meals; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Dietary diversity; Geriatric care; Institutionalised elderly; Undernutrition
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