Identifier: TFM:520
Authors: Garcia Inglés, Laura
Abstract:
Background: The elderly population is at high risk of malnutrition and underdiagnosed. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to determine the efficectiveness of nutritional interventions based on nutritional education in improving the nutritional status or reducing malnutrition of older adults living in the community. Methods: We searched for articles in four databases: Pubmed, Science Direct, Scopus and Cochrane; including randomized or non-randomized controlled trials of studies in nutritional education interventions for older people living in the community (≥60 years) published from 2000 to 2020. Food supplement intervention were excluded. The main variable of the study was nutritional status or malnutrition, and the secondary variables were quality of life, body composition variables and biochemical variables. The meta-analysis was performed with the Review Manager program and it was considered statistically significant when p < 0,05. Results: Of a total of 333 articles, 9 were included in the systematic review and 6 in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that nutritional education interventions are significantly effective for improving the nutritional status of 1,24 points in the MNA (95% CI: 0,22; 2,27; p = 0,02). In contrast, effectiveness was not demonstrated, but there was a trend, for BMI (0,37; 95% CI: -0,01; 0,76; p = 0,05). Conclusion: Nutritional interventions based on nutritional education are effective to improve nutritional status or reduce malnutrition in older adults living in the community, mainly those aimed at individuals at risk of malnutrition. Furthermore, those interventions of > 24 weeks, which are not multicomponent and which involve caregivers seem to be more effective.
Repositori URV