Suitability of the short-form Mini Nutritional Assessment in free-living elderly people in the northwest of Spain

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test and the short-form MNA (MNA-SF) as screening tools for malnutrition risk and malnutrition in the free-living elderly of northwestern Spain.

Design: transversal study.

Setting: free-living elderly people of northwestern Spain.

Subjects: 728 participants (36.4% men and 63.6% women), the average of age for both genders was 80.7 ± 7.4.

Results: according to MNA screening 12.5% subjects were classified as undernutrition (MNA < 17) and 57.5% were at risk for undernutrition (17 ≤ MNA ≤ 23.5). Significant correlations were found between MNA-SF and the full version (r=0.916; p < 0.000). The sensibility and specificity of the MNA-SF for the full MNA version were 81.4% and 92.7%, respectively. The regression analyses showed that weight loss had more influence on the MNA score, followed by the Body Mass Index (BMI), acute illness or psychological stress, mobility, self-perceived health status and neuropsychological problems.

Conclusions: These data showed a high prevalence of undernutrition risk among the free-living elderly people in northwestern Spain using the MNA test in two steps. The high sensitivity and specificity of MNA-SF might be sufficient for medical practice to identify patients at undernutrition risk or undernutrition. Generally, the full MNA confirmed the diagnosis for persons identified at risk by the MNA-SF, and planning was needed for nutritional interventions.