Nutritional status and sensory perception in older adults with visual impairment/ESTADO NUTRICIONAL E PERCEPCAO SENSORIAL DE ADULTOS E IDOSOS COM DEFICIENCIA VISUAL

Introduction: More than thirty million people worldwide have vision loss, and in Brazil, vision impairment affects more than 18% of the population. Nutritional characterization of the visually impaired is fundamental the, as it assists in the development of appropriate methods of intervention and education in Nutrition nonexistent so far. Objective: evaluate the nutritional profile and sensorial perception of adults and elderly visually impaired. Method: Transversal study which analyzed socioeconomic and demographic data, health habits, nutritional profile and food consumption, beyond the sensorial capabilities of 27 users of a non-profitable institute at Caxias do Sul-RS. Results: the socioeconomic and demographic data analyses showed the predominance of female individuals, unmarried, with partial dependence of third party, from B and C economic classes, unemployed and without medical insurances. Most of the users are no smokers and sedentary. Although most of the users have good eating there was a prevalence of overweight among them. The sensorial analysis showed that the visual experience during life had influence over the fruit recognition. Conclusion: The evaluated users require monitoring from a nutritionist to improve their nutritional condition, since overweight and abdominal fat concentration at the abdominal are aware verified, which could be related to the absence of physical activity of this individual. Key words: Visual Impairment. Nutritional. Sensory Perception. Introducao: Mais de trinta milhoes de pessoas no mundo apresentam perda de visao, e, no Brasil, a deficiencia visual afeta mais de 18% da populacao. E fundamental a caracterizacao nutricional de deficientes visuais, pois auxilia no desenvolvimento de metodos apropriados de intervencao e educacao em Nutricao inexistentes ate o momento. Objetivo: Avaliar o estado nutricional e a percepcao sensorial de adultos e idosos com deficiencia visual. Metodo: Estudo transversal que avaliou dados socioeconomicos e demograficos, habitos de saude, estado nutricional e consumo alimentar, alem da capacidade sensorial de 27 usuarios de um instituto sem fins lucrativos de Caxias do Sul-RS. Resultados: A analise dos dados socioeconomicos e demograficos mostrou predominio de individuos do genero feminino, solteiros, com dependencia parcial de terceiros, pertencentes as classes sociais B e C, sem ocupacao no mercado de trabalho e sem plano de saude privado. A maioria dos usuarios nao sao fumantes e sao se