The Relationship Between Loneliness and Nutritional Status in Older People Living in Ramsar City

Abstract

Background and Aims: loneliness has some implications for health. The relationship between loneliness and nutritional status requires careful and principled investigation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between loneliness and nutritional status of the elderly. Methods: 440 elderly 60 years and older individuals from Social Security Administration, Education Retirees Association, and Health Center were selected randomly Descriptive-Analytical study in 2018. Data collection tools included demographic information questionnaire, UCLA loneliness scale (20-80 Score in four levels; without loneliness, low, moderate and high) and mini nutritional assessment (0-30 score at three levels of malnutrition, at risk of malnutrition and normal nutritional status). Results: The Mean ± SD age for the participants was 65.32(6.22). The relationship between nutritional status and loneliness of 68 elderly people without feeling alone (< 20), 85.3% had normal nutritional status, of 317 elderly people with low loneliness (39- 21), 80.4% had normal nutritional status. Of 52 elderly people with moderate loneliness (59-40), 63.5% were at risk of malnutrition. Loneliness in the elderly was significantly associated with an increased risk of malnutrition (OR = 4.2276, P = 0.00). Conclusion: According to the felling of loneliness, more than half of the elderly and the reverse connection between the feelings of loneliness with the state of nutrition, holding free consultation classes in order to reduce the feeling of retired elderly loneliness by the politicians of the health system.

Keywords

• elderly
• loneliness
• nutritional status
• malnutrition