Association Between Malnutrition and Depression Among Community-Dwelling Older Chinese Adults

作者：Wei, Junmin; Fan, Linlin; Zhang, Yuhui; Li, Shirley; Partridge, Jamie; Claytor, Ling; Sulo, Suela^*

来源：Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, 2018, 30(2): 107-117.

DOI：10.1177/1010539518760632

• public health nutrition
• nutrition
• dietetics
• population health
• heath economics and financing
• health impact assessment
• psychological
• behavioral medicine

Malnutrition and depression are of important concern among older adults. We investigated the association between malnutrition and depression among community-dwelling older Chinese adults and how both affect health care costs. Data from 4916 older adults (age 60 years) collected as part of 2013-Wave II China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) survey were analyzed. Measures of body mass index and weight loss were used as indicators of malnutrition. Malnourished subjects were 31% more likely to be depressed than their non-malnourished counterparts (odds ratio = 1.311, P < .1). Health care-related cost was yen591.8 higher for malnourished older adult per year compared to a non-malnourished counterpart (P < .1), thus confirming that incidence of depression coupled with malnutrition significantly increases health care-related costs. These results highlight the importance of malnutrition and depression screening and treatment for older Chinese community-dwelling adults, and the importance of community-based nutrition-specific programs that could address the needs of the affected populations.

• 出版日期2018-3
• 单位北京医院