The objective of this study is to assess the nutritional status in community-dwelling elderly and to describe risk factors which may cause poor nutrition related functional decline.

This is a cross-sectional population-based study in urban area where more than one million population lives. Community-dwelling elderly were sampled as 1/100 from this population. Nutritional status was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). All demographic characteristics and risk factors which may contribute to functional decline were reviewed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors over nutritional status.

A total of 845 elderly were included. Their mean age and standard deviation (SD) of age were 71.6 (5.6) (52% were male). The mean and SD of MNA score was 23 (3.0), of these 42.2% were at risk of malnutrition (MNR) and 3.3% were malnutrition (MN). In logistic regression analysis, odds of low income (OR: 0.5, 95% CI: 0.321–0.849), decreased mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) (OR: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.873–0.973), decreased waist circumference (WC) (OR: 0.9, 95% CI: 0.970–0.999), increased depressive mood (OR: 0.26, 95% CI0.176: 0.389), diabetes mellitus (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.178–2.601), living alone (OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.189–3.150) and increased 4-m walking speed (m/s) (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.05–1.248) were independently associated with possible poor nutrition.

Significant risk factors for poor nutrition can be grouped as clinical conditions; depressive mood and diabetes mellitus, anthropometric measurements; WC and MUAC, social factors; low income and living alone, functionality; increased 4-m walking speed (m/s).