title: Factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults receiving home care: a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands.
abstract: It is generally thought that causes of undernutrition are multifactorial, but there are limited quantitative studies performed. We therefore examined a wide range of potential factors associated with undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  
  Community-dwelling older adults (≥65 years) receiving home care in the Netherlands.
  
  
  
  Data on potential factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition were collected among 300 older adults. Nutritional status was assessed by the SNAQ65+ instrument. Undernutrition was defined as mid-upper arm circumference <25 cm or unintentional weight loss of ≥4 kg in 6 months. Being at risk of undernutrition was defined as having poor appetite and inability to walk up and down stairs of fifteen steps, without resting.
  
  
  
  Of all participants, ninety-two (31·7 %) were undernourished and twenty-four (8·0 %) were at risk of undernutrition. Based on multivariate logistic regression analyses, the statistically significant factors associated with (risk of) undernutrition (P<0·05) were: unable to go outside (OR=5·39), intestinal problems (OR=2·88), smoking (OR=2·56), osteoporosis (OR=2·46), eating fewer than three snacks daily (OR=2·61), dependency in activities of daily living (OR=1·21), physical inactivity (OR=2·01), nausea (OR=2·50) and cancer (OR=2·84); a borderline significant factor was depression symptoms (OR=1·83, P=0·053).
  
  
  
  The study suggests that (risk of) undernutrition is a multifactorial problem and that associated factors can be found in several domains. These findings may support the development of intervention trials for the prevention and treatment of undernutrition in community-dwelling older adults.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Health Sciences and the EMGOInstitute for Health and Care Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences,VU University,De Boelelaan 1085,1081 HV Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van der Pols-Vijlbrief
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Health Sciences and the EMGOInstitute for Health and Care Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences,VU University,De Boelelaan 1085,1081 HV Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hanneke Ah
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Wijnhoven
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Health Sciences and the EMGOInstitute for Health and Care Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences,VU University,De Boelelaan 1085,1081 HV Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Molenaar
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Health Sciences and the EMGOInstitute for Health and Care Research, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences,VU University,De Boelelaan 1085,1081 HV Amsterdam,The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Community-dwelling; Cross-sectional; Mid-upper arm circumference; Older adults; Weight loss