Relación del riesgo nutricional y la presencia de depresión en adultos mayores ambulatorios de Aguascalientes, México.

Abstract

Introduction: Depression is a mood disorder characterized by feelings of despair and sadness. There is a relationship between malnutrition and the presence of depression in institutionalized or rural community elderly patients. Objective: determine the relationship of depression and nutritional status in elderly community people. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study, participants were institutionalized older adults in Aguascalientes, Mexico (n= 50). The nutritional status was assessed by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and anthropometry. Depression was determined using the Geriatric Depression Scale of Yesavage (GDS). Statistic tests used for analysis: Mann Whitney U test for differences between groups and association between nutritional risk and depression by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: Nutritional status of older adults was evaluated and obtained the following results: Normal: 76%, malnutrition risk: 22%, malnutrition: 2%. Depression prevalence was 40%. Anthropometric measures are altered in older adults with depression (p = 0.03), an inverse correlation was observed between MNA and GDS, (r = -0.528, p =0.0001), a minor weight or BMI and a higher age will contribute to depression presence. Conclusion: The nutritional risk is an important factor to consider in the presence of depression in the elderly. Being this relationship a pattern to follow as part of the nutritional treatment of this population as an adjuvant in the treatment of older adults with depression.