Background: The elderly people are growing rapidly in India, and nutrition is an important element of health among them.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the nutritional status of the elderly in an urban slum, Hyderabad.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Shaikpet slum, Hyderabad. The people age 60 years and above were included in the study. To assess the nutritional health of the individual, three parameters are taken into consideration that they are dietary assessment, screening tool which includes mini nutritional assessment (MNA), and anthropometric assessment.
Results: Malnutrition was found in 14.5% of the elderly people. It was due to the inadequate calorie intake. The mean age of the elderly people was 70.5 ± 4.6 years, mean body mass index was 22 ± 3 kg/m2, and the mean MNA score was 21.5 ± 4.7.
Conclusions: The study emphasizes increased need to give attention to the nutritional needs of elderly and also to routinely screen malnutrition in elderly individuals.
Key words: Calorie Intake; Elderly; Mini Nutritional Assessment Tool
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