P702 - ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY AND NUTRITIONAL DISORDERS IN OLDER ADULTS

P702

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FOOD INSECURITY AND NUTRITIONAL DISORDERS IN OLDER ADULTS

M. KANGALGIL^1,*, Z. SERTKAYA¹

¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Türkiye

Rationale: Food insecurity is recognized as a risk factor for nutritional disorders including frailty, sarcopenia, and malnutrition. However, evidence on the association between nutritional disorders and food insecurity in older adults is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the association between food insecurity and the risk of frailty, sarcopenia, and malnutrition, as well as dietary nutrient intake in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This multicenter and cross-sectional study included 140 older adults enrolled in a primary care health center. Food insecurity was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. Participants' nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment, sarcopenia risk using the SARC-F questionnaire, and frailty using the FRAIL scale. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-h dietary recall.

Results: The mean age of the older adults was 71.7±6.2 years, and 55% were women. The prevalence of food insecurity was 35%. There was an association between food insecurity and dietary intake of energy, carbohydrate, and plant-based protein. Food insecurity was not associated with the risk of malnutrition/malnutrition and the risk of sarcopenia. In adjusted-logistic regression analysis demonstrated that food insecurity was an independent risk factor for frailty (OR: 4.062; 95%CI: 1.253-13.167; p=0.019).

Conclusion: Frailty, malnutrition and risk of sarcopenia are common and important problems among community-dwelling older adults. The results of this study show that food insecurity as an independent factor increases the risk of frailty. Comprehensive nutrition interventions, including food security, are important to reduce the risk of frailty and improve health outcomes in older adults.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared