Dietary practices and nutritional status of elderlypersons in post-conflict: A cross-sectional study ofNorthern Uganda

Abstract

Malnutrition remains a problem in older populations globally. Most older persons do not meet therequired dietary intake with the majority consuming more of carbohydrate-based foods and vegetables.The current study therefore aimed at assessing the dietary practices, nutritional status and associatedfactors among elderly persons in the post-war setting of Gulu district. This was a cross-sectional study among elderly persons ≥ 60 years residing in Bungatira Sub-County,Aswa County-Gulu District. The study used a multi-stage sampling procedure. Nutritional status wasmeasured using the Mini Nutrition Assessment – Short Form (MNA-SF) Analysis was done in STATA 16using modifi ed Poisson regression model. Variables with a p-value of 0.05 at multivariable analysis wereconsidered as factors associated with malnutrition.