Abstract
Background
nutritional status and its associated factors play an important role in the health of the elderly.
Objective
To identify the factors associated with the nutritional status of the elderly in primary health care at the city of Maringá, Paraná.
Method
A cross-sectional study was carried out with 654 Basic Health Units’ elderly patients. The research instruments included a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Mini Nutritional Assessment, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square and Binary Logistic Regression tests (p <0.05).
Results
The results showed a higher proportion of elderly patients with good health perception, who took less medication, had no falls, and had a high/average activity level with normal nutritional status. It was verified that the elderly with normal nutritional status presented a higher calf circumference (p = 0.01). It should be emphasized that older people with better health perception, higher level of physical activity and calf circumference, higher level of education and monthly income of 2.1 to 3 minimum wages are more likely to present normal nutritional status.
Conclusion
It was concluded that a normal nutritional status in the elderly population is associated with a higher educational level, greater purchasing power, better health perception and regular practice of physical activity.
Keywords:
aging; Brazilian Unified Health System; body composition; health promotion