Nutritional Status of Dietary Patterns Among Elderly Population in Bangladesh
Abstract
This cross-sectional study examined dietary patterns and nutritional status of the elderly people (≥ 60 years) in rural Bangladesh, where food habits vary with marked difference by gender. Population for the study was assessed through simple random sampling and geological survey, elderly people who attended a pre-informed medical camp their information’s were taken. A total of 63 respondents were recruited for the study. Data on socio-demographic and food habits were collected by face to face interviews with a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and nutritional status was determined using physical measurements. Body Mass Index (BMI) was classified in accordance with World Health Organization criteria. Cross-tabulations and Pearson’s chi-square test were used to analyse the associations of dietary consumptions with BMI. Mean female age was 65.46, mean male age 67.69 years. The proportion of literate individuals was significantly more in males (39.8%) as compared to females (13.9%). The majority of men had low consumption of protein-rich foods, fruits and vegetables; 77.4% of them ate protein-rich foods less than 3 days per week. Both males and females were affected by malnutrition. There was, however, no significant association between dietary intake and BMI (p > 0.05). The results suggested that malnutrition is a significant public health problem among the elderly living in rural Bangladesh and nutrition interventions should be developed and implemented according to specific nutritional conditions.
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