BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Mini nutritional assessment (MNA) is the most frequently used screening test for malnutrition in elderly populations in continental Europe and Asia. Most studies on MNA's ability to predict mortality have only included persons admitted to hospital, living in nursing homes or at home with professional help with activities of daily living. The aim of this cohort study was to examine if MNA can predict 10-year mortality in the general elderly female population. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Of the 584 free-living elderly women invited, 351 agreed to participate and were tested with MNA between 1999 and 2000. A 10-year follow-up was conducted in 2010 with dates of death obtained from the Swedish death register. RESULTS: Participants whose MNA score was p23.5 points at inclusion had a significantly higher age-adjusted 10-year mortality risk than participants with a MNA score of 423.5 points. The hazard ratio was 2.36 (95% confidence interval 1.25-4.46), P o0.01. CONCLUSIONS: Participants with a MNA score, indicating an increased risk for malnutrition, were more than twice as likely to die during the 10-year follow-up as participants whose MNA score indicated normal nutritional status. Hence, MNA can predict mortality in a general, free-living, elderly female population.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between osteoporosis and nutritional status as determined by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: Stockholm, Sweden. Subjects: A total of 351 elderly free-living women (mean age 7372.3 years). Methods: MNA (range 0-30 points; o17 indicates malnutrition, 17.5-23.5 risk of malnutrition and X24 well nourished), measurements of bone mineral density of the left hip and lumbar spine using Hologic QDR 4500, and of the heel using Calscan DEXA-T. Results: The median MNA score was 27 (range 12.5-30). One woman was classified as malnourished and 7.4% were at risk of malnutrition. Osteoporosis of the femoral neck was observed in 22% and a fracture after the age of 50 was reported by 31% of the participants. The following items in the MNA questionnaire exhibited an increased risk of having osteoporosis in the femoral neck and/or total hip: an MNA score of o27 (odds ratio (OR) ¼ 2.09; CI ¼ 1.14-3.83); a mid-arm circumference of less than 28 cm (OR ¼ 2.97; CI ¼ 1.29-6.81); and regular use of more than 3 drugs each day (OR ¼ 2.12; CI ¼ 1.00-4.50). A body weight of more than 70 kg exhibited a decreased risk of having osteoporosis (OR ¼ 0.31; CI ¼ 0.14-0.70). Conclusions: In general, the nutritional status was good in this population of free-living elderly women. Nevertheless, half of the women who displayed an MNA score o27 points had a twofold increased risk of having osteoporosis.

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