Association between Nutritional Assessment, Sarcopenia Staging and Frailty in a Population of Older Adults (VANESSA- F Study)

Abstract

Objective: To determine the association of nutritional status and the presence of sarcopenia (SP) and frailty, using brief scales in primary care settings. Methods: A prospective, analytical, descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out in the Family Medicine Unit No. 24 of the Mexican Social Security Institute of Ciudad Mante, Tamaulipas. Mexico. The sample size consisted of 252 older adults (OA) patients (143 females and 109 males) who attended the family medicine outpatient clinic were included. After informed consent and acceptance, anthropometry and application of MNA-SF, SARC-F, FRAIL and Gait Evaluation (Get up and Go) questionnaires were applied to participants. Results: The participants were a total of 252 OA; female with 143 subjects (42.18%), male 109 (32.15%). The frequency of variations in the Body Mass Index was underweight in 5 women (2%), Overweight in 104 subjects (41.2%) and Obesity in 83 subjects (32.9%). Malnutrition and risk of malnutrition based on MNA-SF was 21 (8.3%) and 127 (50%) subjects respectively, 82 (32.5%) subjects with high probability of SP and 144 (57%) with low probability of SP, pre-frailty in 131 (51.9%) subjects, probable frailty in 59 (23.4%) subjects. Conclusions: Regular nutritional status examinations in OA are practical for early detection and follow-up with the aim of preventing risks associated with sarcopenia and frailty.