Johnson C Shanthi
School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 1H8, Canada.
J Nutr Health Aging. 2003;7(4):247-50.
To examine the association between nutritional risk and falls among frail older adults.
This study involved 98 frail older adults with a mean age of 82 years. Measures included background questionnaire, falls profile, a nutritional risk assessment checklist, physical parameters such as balance, lower extremity strength, and functional mobility and endurance, and psychological variables.
Approximately 31% of participants had suffered falls. Fallers and non-fallers were similar in age, prevalence of self-reported health problems and medications use. However, fallers had a higher level of nutritional risk and poorer physical and psychological well-being compared to non-fallers. Regression analysis showed that the level of nutritional risk is a significant determinant of falls along with leg strength and balance.
Although the level of nutritional risk is associated with falls, further research is necessary to establish the causal link and to explore the effectiveness of nutritional intervention as a falls prevention strategy.
研究体弱老年人的营养风险与跌倒之间的关联。
本研究纳入了98名平均年龄为82岁的体弱老年人。测量指标包括背景调查问卷、跌倒情况、营养风险评估清单、身体参数（如平衡能力、下肢力量、功能活动能力和耐力）以及心理变量。
约31%的参与者曾发生跌倒。跌倒者和未跌倒者在年龄、自我报告的健康问题患病率及用药情况方面相似。然而，与未跌倒者相比，跌倒者的营养风险水平更高，身体和心理健康状况更差。回归分析表明，营养风险水平与腿部力量和平衡能力一样，是跌倒的重要决定因素。
尽管营养风险水平与跌倒有关，但仍需进一步研究以确定因果关系，并探索营养干预作为预防跌倒策略的有效性。
