Background: Health promotion encourages people to control and improve their own health. Goals of
increasing the healthy life expantancy, improving the quality of life for all, reducing mortality and morbidity rates,
and increasing life expectancy are emphasized in all regions of the world. Average life expectancy throughout the
world increases year by year, leading to an increase in the overall proportion of elderly people. There are many
tools for identifying the nutritional risks, but the most extensively evaluated tool is the Mini Nutritional Assessment
(MNA) test.
Aims: The primary aim was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and the risk factors among elderly
people living at nursing home in Urmia, Iran. A further aim was to assess the energy and nutrient intake of elderly
nursing home residents. A final objective was to determine physical activity patterns of elderly people living at
nursing home.
Methods: This study was carried out on elderly people, living at all which are 6 nursing homes in Urmia,
Iran. Subjects who were over 65 years were selected to the study. All together 106 persons, 30 males 76 females,
were participated. In this study, data of 106 elderly people were collected with a structured questionnaire that was
divided into four parts: 1) Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire, 2) 24-hours food recall and food
frequency questionnaire (FFQ), 3) Physical activity questionnaire.
Results and Conclusion:: Among the elderly people living at nursing home, 12.26% were well nourished,
49.06% malnourished and 38.68% at risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition affected significantly more frequently the
subjects eating fruits, vegetables, meat and bread groups 2-3 times a week (p<0.05).There weren’t significant
differences between MNA scores and milk group consumption by elderly people. According to results, 61.8%
female and 60% male are in sedentary category. The risk of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition are observed
significantly more frequently in the group of older people who are in sedentary category. The mean BMI was
19.14(±4,7)in women and 17.80(±2,9) in men. Differences in realationship MNA score and BMI between male and
female group were statistically significant.Also the findings revealed that the intake of all nutrients except for iron
and carbohydrate have been less than DRI (Dietary Recommended Intake) Standards.