Vol. 12, Issue 5 (2023)

Author(s):
Bhavana A, Jamuna KV and Lakshminarayan MT

Abstract:
The study aimed at assessing the nutritional status of geriatric subjects living in Oldage institutions in the age group of 60-100 years (37 males and 63 females) who were selected from the three different old age institutions located in Bangalore. The results revealed that the majority of the geriatric subjects both females (79.36%) and males (54.05%) had no source of income. Educational status of geriatric subjects indicated majority of males were illiterate (37.83%) and 30.15 percent females of had middle and secondary school education and 10.81 percent of males had studied up to college followed by 23.80 percent of females had primary school education. Majority of the female and male geriatric subjects had no occupation (59.45% and 85.71% respectively) and both the genders males and females had part time employment in the old age institutions where they lived (24.32% and 12.69% respectively). Distribution of nutrients intake by percent RDA in the geriatric subjects indicates that majority of the geriatric subjects had 60-80 percent of nutrient intake compared to RDA and least was observed in intake of fat which is less than 40 percent. This was due to the menu followed by the old age homes where it had foods prepared with very less oil and mild and more of steamed, boiled and baked foods with minimum fat uptake is provided to avoid constipation and gastric discomfort in the geriatric subjects. Correlation coefficient analysed in male geriatric subjects between the age, monthly income, Educational status and among the nutrients had no significant difference. Therefore, the socio economic factors and nutrient intake correlation among the female geriatric subjects residing in old age institution found to have highly significant negative correlation because the female geriatric subjects of the study were aged more Compared males and had monthly income high to pay for the assistance in the old age institutions. Though they paid high, it had no good impact on the food intake since due to progressive age complications the females geriatric subjects tend to consume very less quantity of food leading to poor nutrients intake.