Malnutrition and anthropometric measurements among elderly people with cardiovascular diseases

Background: Aging is accompanied by physiologic changes that can negatively impact nutritional status. Progressive under nutrition during aging is associated with early death. Some food avoidance could complicate nutritional status during chronic diseases in elderly people. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare malnutrition among elderly people with and without cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Method: This case-control study was conducted on 64 healthy elder subjects (as a control group) and 64 elderly patients with CVDs (as a case group) in Shiraz (2017). Demographic and mini nutritional assessment (MNA) questionnaires were completed for each participant. Anthropometric data (weight, BMI, waist, hip, arm and calf circumferences) were measured. Findings: Malnutrition distribution was significantly different between two groups based on MNA score (P<0.001) and 48 (75%) of healthy elderly participants and 18 (28.1%) of patients weren’t malnourished. Risk of malnutrition was 35 (54.7%) and 16 (25%) in unhealthy and healthy groups respectively. Only 11 (17.2%) of elderly patients with CVDs were malnourished. Conclusion: Malnutrition rate increased in elderly patients with CVDs compared to healthy old group. It seems that food avoidance of the disease is the cause of higher malnutrition rate. Attention to the balance and adequacy of macronutrient intake in a personal diet of CVDs patients can be a method to prevent progression of malnutrition in old patients.