CHRONIC ENERGY DEFICIENCY AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG ELDERLY PEOPLE IN SIBU SIRE DISTRICT, EAST WOLLEGA ZONE, SOUTH WEST ETHIOPIA.

Introduction: The elderly population is extremely dependent people with chronic disease and severe disabilities. Chronic energy deficiency is an important public health problem among older (aged > 65years) population. Globally, one in seven older people has a medium to high risk of malnutrition. Even though there were evidences which indicated the status of chronic energy deficiency among elderly population in different settings, the magnitude of chronic energy deficiency among older people is quite poorly known in study area. Objective: This study was used to assess chronic energy deficiency and associated factors among elderly people in Sibu Sire district, south west Ethiopia, 2023. Methods: A Community based cross sectional study design was used. Multi stage sampling technique with systematic sampling was used to select total of 626elderly populations. Pretested interviewer administered questionnaires was used to collect data. BMI was used to assess the nutritional status of elderly people. Data were entered into Epi -data version 4.6.and analyzed by SPSS version 26. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression model were used to test for relationship between different factors and outcome variable. In the final model those variables with p value of < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The model fitness was checked by Hosmer-Lemeshow test while the strengths of association were measured by AOR with 95% CI. Results: The findings of this study revealed 24.9% of the elderly in the study area had chronic energy deficiency. In the multivariable model, male sex (AOR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.58), high dietary diversity (AOR: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.02), medium dietary diversity (AOR: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.09) and elderly who had food security (AOR: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.16) were significantly associated with chronic energy deficiency at p < 0.05. Conclusion: About one fourth of the study participants had chronic energy deficiency. Male sex, elderly food security, high and medium dietary diversity of the respondents was associated factors with chronic energy deficiency. Therefore, maintaining household food security of the elderly and improving their dietary diversity were crucial.