[Nutritional status of elderly Brazilians: a multilevel approach].
The objectives of this study were to diagnose the nutritional status of the elderly Brazilian population and to identify associated factors. The study used data from the Brazilian Household Budget Survey (2008/2009) for 20,114 elderly, whose nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (BMI). Associated factors were tested with the Pearson chi-square test and multilevel linear models. The hierarchical analysis showed a significant effect of state of Brazil on BMI variance (p-value = 0.001). The individual level showed a negative association (p-value < 0.001) with Asian-descendant race, male gender, living alone, and older age and a positive association with per capita income. Underweight was more prevalent among elderly in rural areas (26.3%) and in the Northeast (23.7%) and Central regions (20.9%), and obesity was more prevalent in the South (45.1%) and Southeast (38.3%) and in cities (39%). The study suggests the importance of further in-depth research on nutritional status of elderly based on contextual variables.
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brasil., Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal , Brazil.
Ingrid Freitas da Silva
IF
Pereira
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brasil., Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal , Brazil.
Maria Helena Constantino
MH
Spyrides
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brasil., Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal , Brazil.
Lára de Melo Barbosa
Lde M
Andrade
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology