Identifying elders at risk of malnutrition: a universal challenge.
Identifying elders at risk of malnutrition: a universal challenge.
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识别面临营养不良风险的老年人：一项普遍的挑战。
DOI：
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发表时间：
1999
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
J. Dwyer
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
O. Bermudez;J. Dwyer
This article presents the universal challenge for identification of risk factors of elderly malnutrition. An estimated 14.2% increase among the elderly population was predicted by the year 2025 in the Americas. Several factors determine the proportion of older persons in a population, such as the health history of the country over the past century, the current state of economy and percentage of total gross domestic product allocated to health services, and the adequacy and of the health system and investments made on it. Common types of malnutrition seen in elderly persons are undernutrition, vitamin and mineral deficiencies and excesses, obesity, nutritional imbalances and toxicities. These can be attributed to poor dietary intake and diseases. Risk factors for poor nutritional status involve socioeconomic status, mental and physical functioning, culture and social situation, food access, health status, health behavior and environmental health. Promotion and implementation of appropriate interventions in ameliorating nutritional problems include enhancement of dietary intakes, more physically active lifestyles, and improvements in health care, social support, and food assistance. This paper suggests 1) implementing prevention-oriented programs for elders; 2) increasing the years of health life by program activities on the prevention of age-associated chronic degenerative diseases; 3) eliminating vaccine-preventable diseases; 4) eradicating poverty-related undernutrition and malnutrition; and 5) ameliorating loneliness and depression. In addition, the call for prevention, recognition, and improvement of nutritional status by health care providers was emphasized.
