This study was conducted to analyze relationships between depression indices, mini nutritional assessment scores, and nutritional quotients among 80 elderly in Yangpyeong-gun and to identify factors that help prevent depression and malnutrition. Nutrition assessment scores were low in the high-risk group (PHQ-9 score 10), and nutritional quotient scores were lower in the high-risk group than in the normal group (PHQ-9 score 4). Interestingly, the consumption frequencies of fruits, eggs, and nuts were low in the high-risk group, and subjective health awareness, dental condition, and sleep were poorer. The total PHQ-9 score was correlated with malnutrition, body mass index, calf circumference, weight change, independent daily living, reduced meal amount, water intake, and the need for help when eating. Analysis of correlations between items of the PHQ-9 and nutritional status evaluation indices showed that a self-perceived feeling of depression, low energy, difficulty controlling sleep or appetite, negative thoughts (e.g., failure, disappointment), and difficulty concentrating were negatively correlated with total nutritional status scores. These results show that attention is required when food or water intake decreases and that deviation from normal sleep and appetite cycles flags the need to prepare guidelines to prevent depression.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutrition education on dietary knowledge, dietary attitudes, and dietary behavior of elderly by analyzing changes before and after nutrition education. This study was conducted in Seoul from March 2022 to December 2022 for 50 elderly (6 male, 44 female) who participated in nutrition education for 8 weeks at three senior welfare centers (Seodaemun, Seongbuk, Jongno). A total of 35 responses were used in the final analysis. Statistical analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon’s signed rank test by age, hypertension, and dislipidemia to find effect of nutrition education on their nutritional knowledge, dietary attitudes, and dietary behavior. Results showed that nutrition education had a significant effect on the elderly. In particular, for those with chronic diseases such as hypertension and dislipidemia, the difference after education was significant, indicating significant changes in dietary habits. This study is expected to provide basic data for the development of a systematic nutrition education program for the elderly in the future.

The purpose of this study was to identify nutrition quotient for elderly (NQ-E) and to investigate factors affecting NQ-E of the elderly using welfare center and senior citizen’s center in Changwon city. A self-administered questionnaire was conducted between June 2021 and early August 2021 for 320 elderly (≥65 years, male, n=52, female, n=268). As a result of the survey, the mean NQ-E score was 61.12, which was within the medium-high grade. The scores of balance, moderation, and dietary behavior factors were within the medium-high grade, while diversity factor was within the medium-low grade. According to the results of the Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, NQ-E showed positive correlations with the ‘with family’ (p<0.01), ‘education level’ (p<0.01), ‘health functional foods consumption’ (p<0.01), ‘monthly household income’ (p<0.05), ‘nutrition education experience’ (p<0.05), ‘reading nutrition labeling of health functional foods’ (p<0.01), ‘perception of the efficacy of health functional foods’ (p<0.01), and ‘the number of times of leisure activities per week’ (p<0.01) and negative correlations with the ‘gender’ (p<0.05), ‘age’ (p<0.01), ‘smoking’ (p<0.05), and ‘social frailty’ (p<0.01). As a result of multiple regression analysis, ‘gender’ (p<0.05), ‘perception of the efficacy of health functional foods’ (p<0.05), ‘the number of times of leisure activities per week’ (p<0.05), and ‘social frailty’ (p<0.05) were found to be factors affecting NQ-E. Based on the results of this study, customized services by characteristic, nutrition education, and counseling for the elderly should be implemented and the development of various programs and continuous support of the community are necessary so that the elderly can carry out social exchange.

There is little information on the nutrient intake according to the city size and small town in Korean elderly. This study analyzed the nutritional consumption of older people in metropolitan, middle and small cities, and rural areas according to four income levels. The recent data from the 2016~2018 Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were used. The final analysis included 4,325 individuals (Male: 1,856, Female: 2,469) over 65 years old. Multivariable regression with a complex sample design was conducted to compare the nutrient intake among the groups. In a comparison within regions, the nutrition status of the elderly in small towns was more vulnerable than metropolitan and middle & small cities. The energy intakes were similar between the groups. The carbohydrate intake of middle & small cities was significantly higher than the other regions. The intake of other nutrients in metropolitan and middle & small cities appeared to be higher than in rural areas. The number of nutrients with statistical significance between low and high-income levels were 19 in metropolitan, 11 in middle & small cities, and 5 in rural areas. Each contribution of carbohydrate, fat, and protein to the total energy intake was lower in the low-income level than the high-income level in metropolitan and middle & small cities. On the other hand, in rural areas, only the contribution of protein to energy intake was lower in the low-income level than the high-income level. Cities with higher levels of urbanization had more severe nutritional inequality in relation to the income level. There was also nutritional inequality present in rural areas but it was to a lesser extent. Moreover, the generally low level of nutrient intake was problematic in rural areas. These findings could be used as fundamental evidence for developing community nutritional policies for the elderly.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of chronic diseases according to obesity in the elderly older than age 65 using data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016~2018). The subjects of the survey were 3,245 elderly older than age 65 who participated in the health survey and nutrition survey, 45.8% of the subjects were males and 54.2% of the subjects were female. 37.5% of all the elderly were obese, and the females (42.4%) were more obese than the males (31.8%) (p<0.001). Diabetes, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia had a similar prevalence of 24.6%, 63.0%, and 12.7% in males and females, respectively. Hypercholesterolemia was higher in the elderly females (44.2%) than in the elderly males (24.9%) (p<0.001). Through the logistic regression analysis, it was found that the prevalence of chronic diseases was higher in obesity than normal in elderly males and females (p<0.001). The total food intake increased from ‘under weight’ to ‘obesity’ in males (p<0.01) and females (p<0.001). In the case of the elderly males, the higher the degree of obesity, the higher the energy intake (p<0.05), and ‘pre-obesity’ consumed the most energy in elderly females. As a result of this study, the higher the obesity rate of the elderly, the higher the prevalence of chronic diseases.

본 연구는 재가노인의 영양상태, 일상생활 수행능력, 도구적 일상생활 수행능력 및 사회적 연결 망이 삶의 만족도에 미치는 영향요인을 확인하기 위하여 수행되었다. 본 연구에 참여한 연구대상자는 213 명으로, 평균연령은 71.38±5.59세 이었다. 연구분석 방법은 SPSS 21.0을 사용하여 인구 사회학적 특성에 따른 제변수간의 차이, 영양상태, 일상생활수행능력, 도구적 일상생활 수행능력, 사회적 연결망(가족간지 지, 친구간지지, 상호 의존적 사회적 지지), 삶의 만족도의 독립변수간 상관관계를 확인하였고, 재가노인의 삶의 만족도에 영향을 미치는 요인을 확인하기 위해 단계적 다중회귀분석을 실시하였다. 연구결과, 인구 사회학적 특성에서 삶의 만족도는 교육(F=5.280, p=.002), 경제상태(F= 22.407, p<.001), 월수입(F=3.181, p=.015), 주관적 건강상태(F=14.933, p<.001)에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보였다. 독립변수들간 상관관계를 확인한 결과 삶의 만족도는 가족간 지지(r=268, p<.001), 친구간 지지(r=.286, p<.001)에서 정적상관 관계를 보였고, 영양상태(r=-.222, p=.001), 도구적 일상생활 수행능력(r=-.235, p=.001), 상호의존적 사회적지지(r=-.283, p<.001)는 부적상관관계를 보였다. 재가노인의 삶의 만족도에 미치는 예측요인은 경제적 상태(β=.358, p<.001), 주관적 건강상태(β=.245, p<.001), 상호의존적 사회적 지지(β=-.158, p=.009), 도구적 일상생활 수행능력(β=-.153, p=.012)으로 30.1%의 설명력을 보였고, 회귀모형은 통계적 으로 유의하게 나타났다(F=23.778, p<.001). 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로 재가노인의 삶의 만족도를 증진시키기 위해 경제적 어려움을 호소하는 노인을 위한 재정적 지지, 노인의 건강을 유지 증진시키는 프로그램 개발 및 활용이 필요하다. 더 나아가 상호의존적 사회적 지지를 위한 지역사회 연계 활동을 활성화하는 구체 적인 방안이 제시되어야 할 것이다.

This study aim to evaluate dietary quality and nutritional status according to the consumption of health functional food using Nutrition Quotient for Korean elderly (NQ-E) for 288 elderly people attending senior welfare centers in Gyeonggi-do. The questionnaire consisted of items about general information, health functional food, and Nutrition Quotient for Korean elderly (NQ-E). Chi-squared test, Fisher's exact tests, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were performed using the SAS program ver. 9.4. Among the male and female subjects, the female subjects consumed more health functional food. The results of the dietary quality and nutritional status difference according to the intake of health functional food showed significant differences only in the areas of variety and abstinence among nutrition quotient factors for men, while no significant differences were observed in any of the nutrition quotient factors for women. In conclusion, focused-nutrition education program and useful guideline is needed for promoting adequate consumption of health functional foods in elderly.

In this study we compared the cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination for Dementia Screening: MMSE-DS) and nutrient intake of elderly women with dementia in a long-term care facility (EW-LCF) and a day-time care facility (EWDCF). This survey was conducted from July 2015 to May 2017 on 73 elderly women with dementia (47 women in LCF and 26 women in DCF) in the city of Incheon. The data obtained from interviews with the subjects and caregivers were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0. The total score of the MMSE-DS and intakes of most nutrients in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). The nutrient adequacy ratios (NAR) of protein, vitamin A, C, B6, B12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, calcium and phosphorus in the EW-LCF were significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). However, the indexes of nutritional quality (INQ) of vitamin C, B6, thiamine, niacin, calcium, magnesium, and iron in the EW-LCF were significantly higher compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.05). As a result, the subjects showed an unbalanced and insufficient nutrition intake status regardless of the type of care facility. Most nutrient intakes of the EW-LCF with lower cognitive function were very significantly lower compared to the EW-DCF (p<0.001). Therefore, it is necessary to assess the cognitive function and nutritional status regularly at care facilities for the elderly women suffering with dementia and to provide specialized individual nutritional management.

본 연구는 노인의 우울, 영양상태 및 인지기능이 삶의 만족도에 미치는 영향을 파악하여 변수들 간의 관계와 효과를 규명하는 위해 이루어졌다. 자료는 한국보건사회연구원에서 시행한 2017년도 노인실태조사 자료를 사용하여 2차 자료분석을 실시하였다. 65세 이상의 노인 9089명을 대상으로 경로모형을 만들고 상관분석 및 경로분석을 통해 가설을 검증하였다. 그 결과, 우울, 영양상태, 인지기능 및 삶의 만족도는 모두 유의한 상관관계를 보였다. 영양상태에 영향을 주는 요소로서 우울(.46, p=.007)의 효과 크기가 유의하였으며 인지기능에 대해서도 우울(-.27, p=.014)의 효과 크기가 유의하였다. 영양상태(.08, p=.009)와 인지기능(-.03, p=.010)은 모두 삶의 만족도에 유의한 효과를 보였는데, 우울(.50, p=.012)은 영양상태와 인지기능을 매개로 하여 삶의 만족도에 영향을 주었다. 따라서 노인의 삶의 만족도를 증진시키기 위해서는 우울에 대한 중재 뿐 아니라 영양상태와 인지기능에 대한 간호 중재가 필요하다.

The objective of this study was to investigate the health status and nutritional intake of the old population living in Soonchang, Jeollabuk-do, Korea. 69 subjects aged 65 years and older were recruited in July 2016. The WHR, was significantly higher in elderly male group than elderly female group (p<0.05), but both groups had abdominal obesity (0.85 and over). T-score mean of elderly male and female groups were below －2.5 mg/cm3 that they were osteoporotic. In the elderly male group, the higher concentrations of creatinine, homocysteine and uric acid were found to be significantly unfavorable factors (p<0.001, respectively). The blood vitamin D3 levels of elderly male group was significantly higher than that of elderly female group (p<0.05). The physical activity and self-rated health were significantly higher in elderly male group than in elderly female group (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). The nutrient intakes of male group were found to be significantly favorable factors than in female group. The score of mini nutrition assessment was significantly lower in elderly female group than in the elderly male group. These results could be useful to plan effective strategies to increase the health-life expectancy and the prevention of disease of Korean elderly people living in rural areas.