Correlation Analysis between Depressive, Cognitive Symptoms and Nutritional Metabolism in the Elderly in Community

Background With the increase of the aging population, age-related health problems have garnered increasing attention. Compared to physiologic diseases with significant clinical symptoms, the mental health issues of the elderly are often overlooked. The underlying depressive states and high incidence of chronic diseases collectively contribute to a decline in quality of life in old age. Moreover, metabolic diseases, more prevalent in the elderly, significantly impact brain health, potentially leading to neurological damage and cognitive decline. Objective This study aims to investigate the relationship between depression, cognitive status, and nutritional and metabolic status among elderly individuals in the community. Methods We selected 3 767 elderly individuals who participated in physical examinations at the Youyi Street Community Health Service Center in Baoshan District, Shanghai. The demographic data on sex, age, BMI and waist-to-hip ratio were collected. The evaluations included the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL). Metabolic syndrome-related diseases and the 10-year cardiovascular disease risk were assessed using clinical metabolic indicators, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the correlations among these indicators. Results This research showed that significant differences were found in age, MNA, MMSE scores, the proportion of people at high risk of cardiovascular disease and the 10-year cardiovascular disease risk grade among the different groups (P<0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that the GDS score was negatively correlated with the total MMSE score and its sub-item scores, except for the repetition ability score. MNA and ADL were positively correlated with the total MMSE score (P<0.05). Additionally, GLU and HbA1c levels were negatively correlated with immediate recall ability in the MMSE (P<0.05) . Conclusion Our findings suggest that depression in the elderly is associated with cognitive decline, while better nutritional status is linked to improved cognitive performance. Focusing on and improving metabolic health in the elderly may enhance their mental state and overall mental health.