Nutritional Status and Food Diversity among Elderly People in an Urban Area of Belagavi, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: The elderly population (aged ≥60 years) is vulnerable to malnutrition due to age-related physiological and socioeconomic factors. In urban India, challenges such as limited dietary diversity, economic dependence, and inadequate nutrient intake further elevate the risk of poor nutritional outcomes. Aim: To assess the nutritional status, dietary intake, and food diversity among elderly individuals residing in the urban area of Belagavi, Karnataka, India. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2023 to April 2024 in the urban field practice area of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belagavi. A total of 188 elderly participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic details, anthropometric measurements, a 24-hour dietary recall on three non-consecutive days, and a Food Frequency Table (FFT) for dietary diversity. Nutrient intake was compared with ICMR recommendations. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied to assess associations between food diversity and sociodemographic variables. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: In the present study, the mean age of participants was 69.5±7.1 years, and of 188 subjects, 53.2% were male. The average energy intake was 1050.75±233.09 kcal/day and protein intake was 22.43±9.30 g/day, both significantly below ICMR guidelines. Poor food diversity (1-3 food groups/week) was observed in 89.9% of participants. Most had normal BMI, but central obesity was common according to Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR). Statistically significant associations were observed between food diversity and gender (χ2 =6.03, p=0.043), educational status (χ2 =8.94, p=0.006), and income status (χ2 =5.36, p=0.018). Conclusion: This study highlights the widespread prevalence of low dietary diversity and inadequate nutrient intake among the urban elderly in Belagavi. Interventions should focus on nutrition education, improved dietary access, and social support to promote healthy aging in this population.