Abstract:
Malnutrition is a great problem in which the elderly appears to be more vulnerable, many have insufficient income and are poor, low derivational levels, few pension benefits, lack adequate housing and are poorly integrated socially. Iron plays a role as a part of other proteins within the body. The study assess the iron status and Nutritional vulnerability of the elderly in Ijero local government Area in Ekiti-state. Three hundred and eighty elderly who gave their informed consent participated in the study. Structured questionnaire was used to elicit information on socio-economic and demographic characteristic of the elderly, food intake pattern, consumption of Iron rich food sources. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tools (MUST) was used for nutritional vulnerability status. Data from anthropometry was used to calculate body mass index (BMI).Nutritional vulnerability was assessed using MNA scores. Data obtained from the study was coded into the computer and analysed using the Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS) for windows version 25.0. Results were presented as frequency and percentages, means and standard deviations. Comparison was done using chi square, Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between MUST and MNA of the elderly with significance level (p <0.05). Blood samples was used to determine Serum ferritin level of 10% sub sample of the sample size. Majority (62.9%) of the elderly were at risk of malnutrition, 35. 0% were normal and 2.1% were malnourished. About 4.5% were placed on high risk by MUST, 88.7% on low risk and 6.8% on medium risk. Most of the iron rich food were consumed by the elders, occasionally consumption of iron rich food have the highest percentage.The elderly are all within the normal serum ferritin level range.Significant relationship (p < 0.05) existed between MNA and MUST.There is no Correlation relationship between Iron Status and Nutritional Vulnerability (p>0.05). Most of the elderly are nutritionally at risk of malnutrition despite their normal serum ferritin level.
