Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access
ISSN: 2155-9600
ISSN: 2155-9600
Ibiyemi Olayiwola
Accepted Abstracts: J Nutr Food Sci
Effective nutritional assessment has been found to facilitate the hospital care and used as indicators in health policy at tertiary health care delivery. Thus this study aimed at assessing the nutritional status of hospitalised elderly subjects (aged 60 years and over) from selected hospitals in Lagos State, Nigeria. One hundred and twenty (120) subjects (hospitalised and non-hospitalised) were purposively selected from ten health care facilities and within the communities of Lagos. A twenty-four hour dietary recall and anthropometry methods were used to assess their nutritional status. Most of the hospitalised elderly were older than 80 years of age, whereas the non- hospitalised elderly were in the range of 60-64 years of age. Among the hospitalised elderly, the majority were malnourished (53% overweight and 36% obese); more than one third of the non-hospitalised subjects had a healthy status. The energy intake ranged from 1700 to1979 Kcal; 79% of the hospitalised subjects and 67% of the non-hospitalised subjects had adequate energy intakes. Protein was inadequate in both groups.. Only one half of the hospitalised and non-hospitalised elderly had adequate vitamin A and C intakes. The mineral intake of the hospitalised elderly ranged from 122 to 234 mg for magnesium, 1133-1337 mg /d for potassium, 3 - 15 mg/d for zinc and 13 -17 mg/d for iron. The chi-square (x2) test revealed a significant difference in the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the hospitalised and nonhospitalised subjects (x2=21.82; P≤0.05). The T-test showed a significant difference in the BMI, the sodium and the vitamin C intakes between the hospitalised and non-hospitalised elderly (P≤0.05). Nutritional risks were prevalent among the elderly subjects assessed in this study. There is a need for urgent intervention programmes.
Ibiyemi Olayiwola had a Ph.D. Degree in Human Nutrition in 2003 and had research and taught in nutrition and dietetics for over 20 years. She has served as Head of Department of Nutrition and Dietetics for four years, a member of University Senate and member of International Union of Nutrition Science (IUNS). Dr Olayiwola had authored more than 30 articles in reputable journals and over ten conference proceedings. She had investigated into nutritional value of indigenous foods commonly consumed by the elderly. Currently investigating on the nutritional status of elderly in Southwest Nigeria.