Assessment of the nutritional status of elderly subjects by considering their anthropometric measurements and dietary intake

Nutritional well-being is an integral component of the health, independence, and quality of life of the older individuals. Poor nutritional status is a primary concern for the elderly. Nutrition of aged individuals is a neglected area, and from time to time the fact that the elderly individuals are malnourished though very little studies have been conducted to directly correlate nutrition and ageing. A survey was conducted on the purposely selected samples of 156 elderly residing in the different old age homes of the Varanasi city. To conduct the study anthropometric measurement and dietary intake were recorded in the interview schedule. The present study revealed that there were slight differences in different BMI groups respective to their sex and age-group. Lower BMI is associated with lower intake of different nutrients like carbohydrate, protein and fat.