Nutritional assessment by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment: a tool for the nurse

To characterize the nutritional status of institutionalized aged individuals according to the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA®). Cross-sectional, population-based study of quantitative approach, performed with 321 elderly residents in long term care facilities of Joäo Pessoa/PB. This study was approved by the Committee on Ethics in Research of CCS/UFPB, CAEE: 02043712.4.0000.5188. The mean age of participants was 81.09 years old and the majority of them were female (75.7%). Firstly, the elderly were evaluated by a screening, in which 86 (26.8%) had adequate nutritional status and 235 (73.2%) passed to the overall assessment; seven (3.0%) of these had adequate nutritional status. Therefore, the total amount of elderly with adequate nutritional status, according to MNA®, was 93 (29.0%); 127 (39.6%) of them were at risk of malnutrition and 101 (31.5%) were malnourished. It is essential to establish prevention programs in long-term institutions that subsidize the activities of the multidisciplinary health team, in order to control risk factors, including nutritional parameters.