No abstract

No abstract

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Background Malnutrition and poor physical performance are both conditions that increase in prevalence with age; however, their interrelation in a clinically relevant population has not been thoroughly studied. Aims This study aimed to determine the strength of the association between malnutrition and measures of both static and dynamic physical performance in a cohort of geriatric outpatients. Methods This cross-sectional study included 286 older adults (mean age 81.8, SD 7.2 years, and 40.6% male) who were referred to geriatric outpatient mobility clinics. The presence of malnutrition was determined using the Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ, cutoff ≥ 2 points). Measures of dynamic physical performance included timed up and go (TUG), 4-m walk test, and chair stand test (CST). Static performance encompassed balance tests and hand grip strength (HGS). Physical performance was standardized into sex-specific Z-scores. The association between malnutrition and each individual measure of physical performance was assessed using linear regression analysis. Results 19.9% of the cohort was identified as malnourished. Malnutrition was most strongly associated with CST and gait speed; less strong but significant associations were found between malnutrition and TUG. There was no significant association between malnutrition and HGS or balance. Discussion Physical performance was associated with malnutrition, specifically, dynamic rather than static measures. This may reflect muscle power being more impacted by nutritional status than muscle strength; however, this needs to be further addressed. Conclusions Malnutrition is associated with dynamic physical performance in geriatric outpatients, which should inform diagnosis and treatment/prevention strategies.

No abstract