Estado nutricional y hábitos alimentarios de los adultos mayores entre 65 a 75 años de edad atendidos en el nivel primario del centro de Salud UNE – Totoracocha. Cuenca 2022

Abstract

Background: Food is a determining factor in the health of older adults; As the years go by, both physiological and social changes appear that emerge in the nutritional status of this age group, therefore, malnutrition in the elderly represents an important public health problem. Objective: To determine the nutritional status and its relationship with the food intake of older adults who attend the UNE Health Center - Totoracocha. Cuenca 2022. Methodology: The study was based on the quantitative approach with a non-probabilistic convenience sampling made up of 100 older adults who attend the UNE - Totoracocha Health Center in the City of Cuenca and who met the characteristics of interest in the research. Results: The study population is characterized by the predominance of the female population with 74% compared to 26% of the male population; in which 39% is located in the age group of 65 to 67 years. The investigative findings indicate the prevalence of 44% of normal nutritional status, however, nutritional diagnoses due to excess (overweight or obesity) are 51% according to the evaluation of the body mass index, on the other hand, it is highlighted that 63% of the population shows poor quality of food, and there is a relationship with their nutritional diagnoses. Conclusions: The nutritional status is directly related to the eating habits of older adults and this may be due to physical, physiological, psychological, cognitive, psychomotor and socio-affective changes typical of aging.