Desenvolvimento e avaliação de ferramentas para estimativa de peso e estatura de idosos institucionalizados

Abstract

Objective: To develop a protocol for diagnosing malnutrition in elderly people residing in long-stay institutions and to evaluate the use of weight and height estimation equations developed by Lima (2019) in the professional practice of nutritionists working in an ILPI in the city of Natal/RN. Methodology: A bibliographic review was carried out in the year 2021 in the databases of the Institutional Repository of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte and the Digital Library of Monographs of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte on the available information on anthropometric methods of diagnosing malnutrition in institutionalized elderly, in addition to the development of a protocol, in flowchart format for diagnosing malnutrition in this population. Followed by a recruitment of nutritionists responsible for assessing the nutritional status in Long Stay Institutions for the Elderly registered with the Sanitary Surveillance Coordination in the city of Natal/RN. Subsequently, a form was applied with questions about the use of the products proposed by Felício (2021), which addresses the usability of the methods and whether professionals are managing to apply them in their work routine. In addition to the development of an online tool to calculate the estimated Body Mass Index. Results: BMI was the most accurate anthropometric method to diagnose malnutrition in institutionalized elderly, but it is not always possible to perform. With this, the development of flowcharts of weight and height estimation equations arises with the intention of contributing to professional nutritionists in the assessment of the nutritional status of elderly residents in ILPI. Therefore, the use and application of the proposed methods for the nutritionists responsible for the ILPI was evaluated. After evaluating the use by nutritionists of these tools developed in the present study, it was observed that most considered the proposed materials easy and practical to be used in their professional practice, and it was possible to observe points to be improved in the proposed protocols. Also generating an online tool for calculating the estimated BMI as a way to contribute with practicality in the practice of these professionals.