Anthropometric indicators in the nutritional assessment of the elderly: a comparative study
Keywords:
mid-upper arm circunference, elderly, body mass index, anthropometryAbstract
Objective
This study compared anthropometric measurements (arm span and circumference) used in the assessment of nutritional status of the elderly in relation to Body Mass Index.
Methods
The sample consisted of 308 elderly living in private and public nursing homes in the State of Pernambuco, northeast Brazil.
Results
Body Mass Index sensitivity with height being determined by arm span in the diagnosis of malnutrition was 93.5%, with a specificity of 82%. With regard to the diagnosis of overweight and obesity, the sensitivity was 44.5% and 83.3% and specificity 87.0% and 100.0% respectively. Among those diagnosed with malnutrition, arm circumference showed a sensitivity and specificity of 89.0% and 87.0% respectively.
Conclusion
We conclude that using arm span as a proxy for height when calculating Body Mass Index is a good indicator of malnutrition and obesity; however, the same was not observed for the overweight. Arm circumference was also found to be a good indicator of malnutrition in the elderly.
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Copyright (c) 2023 Analia Nusya de Medeiros GARCIA, Sylvia de Azevedo Mello ROMANI, Pedro Israel Cabral de LIRA
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