Prevalence of Undernutrition and Risk of Undernutrition in Overweight and Obese Older People

Abstract

Older people with excess body weight are not spared from undernutrition. They may face appetite decline which may lead to insufficient nutrient intake. They also have a higher risk of developing chronic diseases which may have a negative impact on protein-anabolic pathways. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of undernutrition in overweight and obese older people from a secondary analysis on data collected through two French surveys among people aged 65 or over (n = 782; 31% men; 65–103 years old). Undernutrition was assessed using the MNA screening tool (Mini-Nutritional Assessment). Results showed that 2% of the respondents with a BMI over 25 were undernourished (MNA score below 17/30) and 23% were at risk of undernutrition (MNA score of 17–23.5). Specifically, 18% of overweight and 29% of obese respondents were at risk of undernutrition. Taking into account the most recent French census data, it can be estimated that in France, around 1,7 million people aged over 65 with a BMI over 25 are undernourished or at risk of undernutrition. Given the worldwide increase in the number of overweight/obese individuals in the last few decades, further research will be needed to develop strategies to tackle nutritional risk in overweight/obese older adults.

Malnutrition is associated with increased disease risk in older people in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

“…Another reason could be that systemic inflammation caused by obesity affects the absorption, distribution, and excretion of nutrients, thereby altering micronutrient metabolism ( 41 ). A study conducted among 782 French older adults (aged ≥65 years) found that 18% of overweight and 29% of obese individuals were at risk of undernutrition ( 42 ). Furthermore, in contrast with studies from India ( 6 ), Bangladesh ( 19 ), and France ( 42 ) that reported higher malnutrition rates among women than among men, we found that more men than women were at risk of malnutrition.…”

“…A study conducted among 782 French older adults (aged ≥65 years) found that 18% of overweight and 29% of obese individuals were at risk of undernutrition ( 42 ). Furthermore, in contrast with studies from India ( 6 ), Bangladesh ( 19 ), and France ( 42 ) that reported higher malnutrition rates among women than among men, we found that more men than women were at risk of malnutrition. A possible explanation for this might be that only 49% of women but the majority of men (92%) in our study were dependent on their families for food preparation.…”

Augmented gut hormone response to feeding in older adults exhibiting low appetite

“…The inclusion of BMI to the model provided little additional predictive power. This is perhaps not surprising, as BMI appears not to be associated with protein-energy malnutrition in older adults (van der Pols-Vijlbrief et al, 2014), and between 20 and 35% of older adults with a BMI of greater than 25 kg·m -2 are at risk of undernutrition (Klee Oehlschlaeger et al, 2014; Özkaya & Gürbüz, 2019; Sulmont-Rossé et al, 2022).…”

The Food4Years Ageing Network: Improving foods and diets as a strategy for supporting quality of life, independence and healthspan in older adults

“…However, it is acknowledged that under‐reporting is an issue in all nutritional surveys including in older adults (Public Health England, 2018b ) and data on energy intake is not consistent with data on levels of obesity, which in the United Kingdom lie at 36% of adults aged 65–74 years and 26% of adults aged 75 years and over (Health Survey for England, 2019 ). Nevertheless, a recent study by Sulmont‐Rossé et al ( 2022 ) looked at the prevalence of undernutrition in older people (65 years and over) living with overweight and obesity by completing a secondary analysis of data collected through two French surveys. It indicated that 2% of the respondents with a body mass index over 25 kg/m 2 were undernourished, but that 18% of those overweight and 29% of those with obesity were at risk of undernutrition using the Mini‐Nutritional Assessment (MNA) Screening tool.…”