[Food and malnutrition in the elderly].

Jean-Claude Desport (1, 2) , Pierre Jésus (2, 1) , Philippe Fayemendy (1, 2) , Réseau Linut

1 Service d'Hépato-gastro-entérologie et Nutrition [CHU Dupuytren 1, Limoges]
2 NET - Neuroépidémiologie Tropicale

Food and malnutrition in the elderly. Malnutrition affects 4-10% of elderly at home, but 15-40% of them in institutions. Its consequences are multiple and sometimes severe. Knowing the risk factors often helps to prevent the onset of malnutrition. The simplest and most readily usable criteria are the body mass index (BMI) inferior 21 and weight loss (at least 5% in one month or 10% in six months). The treatment is primarily through enriched intakes by mouth and/or oral nutritional supplements, but in case of severe malnutrition with very limited intakes by mouth, enteral nutrition must be offered at the outset, if the digestive tract is usable. Parenteral nutrition is the last resort because of its dangerousness.

Mots clés: elderly; malnutrition; nutrition

Domaines: Santé publique et épidémiologie

Jean-Claude Desport, Pierre Jésus, Philippe Fayemendy, Réseau Linut. [Food and malnutrition in the elderly].. Revue du Praticien (La), 2018, 68 (3), pp.312-318. ⟨hal-02330588⟩