1.Factors associated with poor appetite among residents at selected long-term care facilities in Selangor, Malaysia
Duaa Al-junid ; Chan Yoke Mun ; Siti Nur Asyura Adznam ; Chin Yit Siew ; Zalilah Mohd Shariff ; Lim Poh Ying ; Sazlina Shariff-Ghazali ; Tanti Irawati Rosli
Malaysian Journal of Nutrition 2024;30(No.1):1-14
Introduction: Poor appetite is prevalent among older adults and may negatively
impact on their overall health. This is especially true for institutionalised residents.
Despite this, there is a paucity of research on appetite and its associated factors
among institutionalised residents, which signified the present study. Methods: A
cross-sectional study was conducted among elderly residents at long-term care
facilities in the state of Selangor, Malaysia to ascertain their appetite status and its
associated factors. Results: A total of 97 residents with mean age of 74.2±8.4 years
old were recruited. They comprised 61.9% females and 38.1% males. More than
50% had poor appetite with early satiety. There were 63.0%, 82.4%, and 94.8% who
had poor oral health, poor sleep quality, and depression, respectively. Ethnicity
(OR=2.73; 95% CI=1.00-7.44; p=0.049) was the only factor that predicted poor appetite
among older adults in long-term care facilities, with Malay residents having poorer
appetite than their Chinese and Indian counterparts. Conclusion: The prevalence
of poor appetite was high among residents staying at long-term care facilities in
Selangor, Malaysia, especially among Malays. This issue deserves further studies
to identify the specific underlying factors contributing to poor appetite among older
adults from different ethnicities. Acknowledging the high prevalence of poor appetite
among older adults and its possible unfavourable outcomes, appropriate nutrition
interventions are therefore needed to address this issue among institutionalised
elderly.