Population-based nutritional risk survey of pensioners in Yerevan, Armenia.

Armenia, a republic of the former Soviet Union, currently suffers from hyperinflation of its currency, a five-year countrywide blockade, and a war with Azerbaijan. Pensioners 60 years of age or older may be at high risk for significant nutritional deficits. We drew a stratified systematic sample (with a random starting point) of 456 pensioner names from all eight administrative regions in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. We administered a questionnaire that gathered data including self-reported weight and height, demographic characteristics, living conditions, medical and dietary history, income, and aid received from various sources. The survey yielded 381 of 456 (84%) completed interviews. Ninety-one percent reported their diet had gotten worse during the past six months, including less variety (83%) and quantity (85%) of food. Seventy-six percent reported they did not have enough money to buy food, and 91% had cut the size of their meals or skipped meals. Forty-five percent reported a weight loss of ^5 kg in the previous year. After we adjusted for potential confounders, weight loss of >5 kg was associated with illness affecting eating (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.2, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.4, 3.4), not having received aid (adjusted OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.1, 4.1), and cutting the size of or skipping meals (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.1, 6.7). Using self-reported current and recalled height and weight, we found that the mean body mass indices (BMI) of pensioners in 1992 were significantly less ( P P