Nutritional intake, biochemical profiles, and functional outcomes in elderly inpatients: A hospital-based cross-sectional study in Vietnam

Malnutrition poses a significant challenge for elderly inpatients, particularly in developing countries, contributing to adverse clinical outcomes. This cross-sectional study examined associations between nutritional intake, biochemical profiles, and functional outcomes in 264 elderly inpatients (mean age 73.39 ± 4.12 years, 50.4% male) at Military Hospital 354, Hanoi, Vietnam, from January to June 2025. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), in conjunction with energy intake (24-hour dietary recall), body mass index (BMI), serum albumin levels, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scores, and EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) dimension scores (range: 5-15; summative approach used for simplicity in resource-constrained settings, though it may limit utility comparisons). Higher EQ-5D scores indicate worse health status. Results revealed 34.8% of participants were malnourished (MNA-SF < 8), 37.9% at risk (8-11), and 33.0% had hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/dL). Functional impairment (ADL < 6) affected 33.3%. Significant correlations were observed between MNA-SF and albumin (r = 0.44, p < 0.01) and ADL (r = 0.63, p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression, adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities, revealed that MNA-SF and albumin were significantly associated with ADL (β = 0.43, p < 0.01; β = 0.13, p < 0.01) and EQ-5D (β = -0.46, p < 0.01; β = -0.12, p < 0.01). These findings underscore the urgent need for routine nutritional screening and interventions in Vietnamese hospitals to mitigate the impact of malnutrition on functional outcomes and quality of life. This study provides additional limited empirical evidence from Vietnam on the association between nutritional and functional measures among elderly inpatients, contributing to the geriatric nutrition literature in developing countries.