Exploring the association between malnourishment and depression among community-dwelling elderly in India

Objective: The objective of this study is to find out the association between malnutrition and depression among community-dwelling elderly. Methods: The research design was cross-sectional, and purposive sampling technique was used for sample collection. The sample consists of 260 elderly people above 60 years of age, who meet inclusion criteria. Self-structured sociodemographic pro forma used and standard tool of the Mini Nutritional Assessment Scale and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) were used for data collection. Results: The mean age of participants was 68.8 ± 7.3 years. There is a significant association between malnutrition and depression ( χ 2 = 33.04, P < 0.001). Body mass index was associated with malnutrition of community-dwelling elderly ( χ 2 = 100.43, P < 0.05) while sociodemographic variables such as income ( χ 2 = 2.58, P < 0.05), BMI ( χ 2 = 22.21, P < 0.05), and alcohol intake ( χ 2 = 10.33, P < 0.05) were found to be associated with depression of community-dwelling elderly. Conclusion: This study found a significant association between malnutrition and depression among community-dwelling elderly in India. The findings highlight the need for integrated screening and interventions addressing both nutritional and mental health to improve overall well-being in the elderly population. Thus, nurses can educate the elderly persons and their family members about prevention and management of malnutrition and depression.