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Aging and Chronic Disease (Poster Session)

(P18-046-24) Comparison of Malnutrition Assessment Tools for Identification of Malnutrition in Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Dementia

Monday, July 1, 2024
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM CT
Location: Poster Board 448

    Presenting Author(s)

  • AS

    Austin M. Sullivan, MS, RDN

    Graduate Teaching/Research Assistant
    University of Kansas Medical Center
    Independence, Missouri, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • HG

    Heather D. Gibbs, PhD, RD

    Associate Professor
    University of Kansas Medical Center
    Kansas City, Kansas, United States

Disclosure(s):
Austin M. Sullivan, MS, RDN: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Currently, there is no preferred method to assess malnutrition in persons with dementia (PWD). The primary objectives of this study were to determine malnutrition prevalence and concurrent validity of the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) when administered in community-dwelling older adults with dementia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on PWD who were ≥65 years. PWD were assessed for malnutrition by the MNA and SGA by two separate dietitians blinded to the opposite assessment. Skin carotenoids and hand grip strength were collected as two objective measures hypothesized to be associated with nutrition status. Skin carotenoids were measured using Pressure-Mediated Reflection Spectroscopy. Functional status was evaluated using a calibrated hand dynamometer. Chi-squared tests of independence were completed to determine association between MNA and SGA, and κ statistic was conducted to assess agreement of the tests. Correlation analysis was completed to determine relationships between malnutrition assessment tools, skin carotenoids, and hand-grip strength. Time to completion was compared through a paired samples T-test.

Results: A total of 46 participants were included in final analyses. MNA classified 31.1% of the population as at risk and 4.4% malnourished, while the SGA classified 44.4% as at risk and no one as malnourished. Chi-squared analysis showed that MNA and SGA were associated (x2= 5.940, p=0.015). There was a fair agreement (κ= .294) between the SGA and MNA. There was a weak, non-significant correlation found between skin carotenoids and MNA (r=.291, p=.055) or SGA (r=.261, p=.091). SGA (r=.433, p=.003) and MNA (r=572, p= < .001) moderately correlated to hand grip strength. SGA (M=7.22 min, SD=3.17) was performed slightly faster than the MNA (M=8.78 min, SD=3.17); [t(45) = 2.985, p = .005].

Conclusions: The MNA and SGA performed similarly in diagnosing malnutrition in community-dwelling older adults with dementia. The prevalence of nutrition risk was high in both the SGA and MNA.

Funding Sources: Developmental grant awarded by the University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, funded by the National Institute on Aging, P30 AG072973