A simple nutritional assessment scale to maintain and improve the elderly' s ADL

Abstract

　To develop a simple nutritional assessment scale, we conducted 4 surveys, involving institutionalized elderly in all cases, and obtained the results summarized below:

1) Protein and iron metabolism changed, according to the nutritional zinc status.

2) Institutionalized elderly with lower ADL showed lower serum zinc levels despite their higher rate of zinc intake. In contrast, those with higher ADL showed higher serum zinc levels despite their lower rate of zinc intake.

3) The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) was negatively correlated with the level of care, the grade of bedridden, and grade of cognitive function. These factors tended to be favorably maintained when the GNRI was higher than 92.

4) Calf Circumference (CC) was suggested to be a useful nutritional index, replacing the Alb level as a component of the GNRI.

　Based on these results, the developed simple nutritional assessment scale using CC may be useful to maintain and improve the elderly' s ADL.