Effect of a Nutritional Education Program on Nutritional Status of Elderly in Rural Areas of Damanhur City, Egypt

摘要

Background: Older adults are at an increased risk of inadequate diet and at risk of malnutrition. Poor nutritional status is associated with increased demands on health services, lengthier hospital stays and it is recognized as an important predictor of morbidity and mortality. Strategies for effective nutritional intervention should be implemented to prevent and treat malnutrition. Objective: The study aimed to assess the effect of a nutrition education program on the nutritional status of elderly in rural areas in Damanhur city. Subjects and Methods: One group pre-test post-test intervention study was carried out on 100 elderly at rural health unit namely Zarkon village, Damanhur city, Egypt. Data about socioeconomic characteristics, medical history, and life style were collected by interviewing. Nutrition educational program was implemented on 6 consecutive sessions, 6 days per week, and two sessions per day. Duration of each session ranged from 1-2 hours. The elderly persons were divided into 10 groups (each group in elderly contains 10 client). Healthy Nutrition Scale and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) were used to assess the knowledge about healthy eating and proper nutrition for elderly, and the nutritional status of elderly and determine the risk of malnutrition, respectively three times, before, immediately after the end of the programme, and 3 months later to evaluate the immediate and retained changes in elderly. Results: Less than half (49%) of the elderly had poor nutritional knowledge before the educational program compared to 9% and 4% of them in the immediate post program evaluation and three months follow up respectively. None of the elderly were malnourished in the second evaluation after 3 months compared to 5% immediately after the program and 16% before the program. Conclusion: The education program was very effective in enhancing the nutritional status of the elderly as well as the nutritional knowledge of them.