Dr.Firoz Ahmed

19/07/2025

Nutritional Assessment of the Elderly

Nutritional assessment in the elderly is essential for identifying malnutrition, undernutrition, or overnutrition, which can significantly impact health, independence, and quality of life.

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🧪 Components of Nutritional Assessment

A comprehensive nutritional assessment in older adults typically includes:

1. Anthropometric Measurements

These help detect weight loss, obesity, and muscle wasting.

Weight and height

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC)

Calf circumference

Skinfold thickness (optional)

> 🔍 BMI is less reliable in the elderly due to changes in body composition with age.

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2. Biochemical Tests

Blood tests can help assess nutritional and metabolic status.

Hemoglobin / CBC – for anemia

Serum albumin/prealbumin – protein status

Vitamin B12 and folate

Serum electrolytes – sodium, potassium, etc.

Lipid profile

Blood glucose / HbA1c

Vitamin D levels

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3. Clinical Evaluation

Medical history – chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, dementia, GI issues)

Dental health – poor dentition affects chewing and intake

Appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation

Functional status – ability to shop, cook, and feed themselves

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4. Dietary Assessment

24-hour dietary recall

Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)

Diet history

Observation or food diary

> 🥗 Look for calorie/protein intake, fluid intake, and micronutrient sufficiency.

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5. Functional and Psychological Assessment

Cognitive status – dementia may impair eating habits

Depression screening – depression can lead to decreased appetite

Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) – can they feed themselves?

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6. Screening Tools for the Elderly

These are quick, validated tools used in clinical and community settings:

✅ Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)

Gold standard for elderly

Includes anthropometrics, dietary, and subjective components

✅ Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)

✅ Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)

✅ DETERMINE Checklist

Developed by the Nutrition Screening Initiative in the U.S.

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⚠️ Red Flags in Elderly Nutrition

Unintentional weight loss (>5% in 1 month or >10% in 6 months)

Poor appetite or low food intake

Swallowing or chewing difficulty

Social isolation

Polypharmacy (multiple medications affecting appetite/nutrition)

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🎯 Goals of Nutritional Assessment

Detect malnutrition or nutritional risk

Identify modifiable factors contributing to poor nutrition

Enable timely intervention (dietary, medical, or social)

Improve quality of life and functional independence

05/03/2025

06/01/2025

DONOT PANIC 🚨 😱 ‼️ 🚨
The rise of relatively newer viral (especially Respiratory viruses) is a known phenomenon which is related to “Global warming and Climate Change”.

Newer viruses and mutants are expected to be there and take you down.

HMPV - Human metapneumo virus is a respiratory virus.
1) It usually causes cold, nasal congestion, nasal blockage, cough and bronchitis like symptoms.
2) The spread is through 💧 droplets which you cough or sneeze out.
3) mostly it passes off as any upper respiratory viral infection but those who are less than 5 years and older than 65 which is elderly or those having weaker immune systems due to cancer, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune conditions on steroids, diabetes, on dialysis could land up in complications like pneumonia and ARDS(respiratory failure)
4) At present there is no anti viral agent which has been used against it. Neither is there any vaccine because it was never needed in past.
5) Best way to stay safe is “Universal cough and hygiene etiquette”
-stay home if sick
-don’t sneeze or cough without covering
-don’t touch face area without washing hands
-avoid unnecessary travel and if travel is important wear mask in aeroplanes especially.
-keep yourself generally fit with proper balanced diet and exercise
-say namaste instead of shaking hands.
.Viny Kantroo

30/10/2024