Trends of Underweight Malnutrition Among Chinese Residents Aged 60 Years and Above — China, 1992−2015

Abstract

What is already known about this topic? The prevalence of underweight malnutrition largely decreased in Chinese adults in recent thirty years while obesity became increasingly concerning. However, underweight malnutrition still affected elderly populations and increased risk of anemia, infection diseases, some non-communicable chronic diseases and disability. What is added by this report? In this study, data from 4 national surveys from 1992 to 2015 were analyzed to study underweight malnutrition. There was an 80.5% reduction for underweight malnutrition nationally, including a 67.5% reduction in rural areas and 67.4% in urban areas, and 76.2% in males and 79.4% in females. What are the implications for public health practice? Underweight malnutrition seriously affects the health and quality of life for older people and will lead to heavy burdens for families and society overall. Therefore, efforts should be maintained to screen, treat, and safeguard elderly populations with underweight malnutrition using nutritional improvement strategies, especially for the oldest elderly individuals in rural areas.