Nutritional vulnerability and associated risk factors estimation of Bangladeshi wetland community people aged 50 years and over

Abstract

\n People aged 50 years and over often show nutritional vulnerability in South-Asia including Bangladesh. Consequently, they present physical weakness and illness that escalate overtime. In Bangladesh, community-focused investigations have potentials to inform healthcare interventions, but current studies examine older adults’ nutrition status which are not all-encompassing [e.g., wetland communities]. We, therefore, assessed the malnutrition status among wetland community-dwelling older adults aged ≥50 years in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey with 400 older adults was conducted in the north-eastern wetland community of Bangladesh through simple random sampling. Demographic and health information were collected using a structure questionnaire and the Nestle Mini Nutrition Assessment-Short Form criteria was used to assess the nutrition status. Respondent’s socio-demographic and health profiles were assessed, and the Pearson’s Chi-square association test was performed to identify the associated socio-demographic and health factors of older adult’s malnutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition were 59.75 and 39.75 percent respectively. Malnutrition prevalence rate was higher with increasing of age and female were more malnourished than male. The age, gender, educational status, occupation and income were significantly associated with older adults’ malnutrition. The wetland community-dwelling people who are suffering sleeping disorders and poor self-rating health condition were found to be more malnourished. The findings confirm that the prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition are high among community-dwelling people aged ≥50 years in wetland communities. Our findings suggest the health professionals to implement public health and clinical interventions simultaneously to improve nutritional status of this cohort.