Assessing nutritional status in the elderly: evaluation of Chumlea´s equations for weight
2013
Background: Weight is one of the most important parameters
in assessing nutritional status. However, weight
can be difficult to measure in elderly people who are
unable to stand. Chumlea et al. created two equations to
estimate weight in non-ambulatory patients using readily
available body measurements.
Objective: The aim of the study is to analyze the usefulness
of Chumlea’s equations in assessing nutritional
status of elderly hospitalized patients.
Methods: We measured weight, height, arm and calf
circumference, subscapular skinfold and knee height of 82
hospitalized elderly patients, all of whom were able to stand.
Estimated weight (EW) was obtained by Chumlea’s equations.
Body mass index (BMI) and Mini Nutritional
Assessment test (MNA) were calculated using actual
weight and EW. Bland-Altmann analysis and intraclass
correlation coefficient (ICC) between real and estimated
parameters were assessed.
Results: We found a statistically significant ICC between
actual weight and EW (r = 0.926), real BMI and estimated
BMI (r = 0.910) and real MNA and estimated MNA (r =
0.982) (P < 0.001). Chumlea’s equations, however, underestimated
weight: 54.05 (DS 11.88) vs 61.46 (DS 13.08);
BMI: 22.30 (DS 4.61) vs 25.36 (DS 5.17) and MNA: 22.73
(DS 4.43) vs 23.30 (DS 4.33) (P<0.001). In spite of this
underestimation, estimated MNA detected 100% of
patients malnourished and 96% of those at risk of malnutrition.
Conclusions: Results obtained by Chumlea’s equations
showed a good ICC with actual body weight and real BMI
and MNA, but values were underestimated. These equations
can be useful to detect undernourished hospitalized
elderly patients.
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