| Summary: | Evidence-based information on nutritional status of elderly people is essential for the formulation of health care system and prevents the elderly people from the risk of poor health and malnutrition. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among elderly people in Northern Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 236 participants (149 men and 87 women), aged 60 years and above, resided in government-funded shelter home were recruited. Anthropometric parameters of body weight, standing height, body mass index (BMI), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) and waist circumference (WC) were measured and used as indices to assess malnutrition. The overall prevalence of under-nutrition based on BMI <18.5 kg/m2 was 17.4% .The prevalence of overweight based on BMI ≥25 kg/m2 was 28.4%. Gender and ethnicity were significantly associated with malnutrition (p<0.05). Women were significantly more vulnerable to both underweight and overweight. Most Malays (37.7%) had overweight and obesity problems whereas more Indians (22.5%) were posed to greater risk of underweight. More women (32.2%) had abnormal WC than men (4%) (p<0.05). A significantly declined trend of anthropometric measurements was observed among the elderly between age groups 60-69 years and ≥80 years. In conclusion, malnutrition and overweight coexisted among the institutionalized elderly people and this situation urged for specific interventional strategies and health policy formulation in order to reduce this double burden of disease
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