Authors : Abhaya Joglekar, Vashu Verma & Sweta Pradhan
Page Nos : 353- 361
Description :
Old age is a privilege, social success and challenge. Old age is a process which starts from the prenatal period and continues until the end of life. The process by which a cell losses its ability to divide, grow and function is known as aging. Aging is generally characterized by the declining ability to respond to stress, increasing homeostatic imbalance and increased risk of aging-associated diseases. Several changes occur in this period due to degeneration of cells. The present study was aimed to assess the nutritional status of 50 elderly people who were residents of Basna from distt Mahasamund (C.G.). All the subjects were randomly selected for the study. Demographic profile, anthropometric measurement, health status and dietary information were collected with the help of pre tested questionnaire. The result reveals that 22%had their primary level education, 40% had school education, and only 8% had college level of education whereas 30% were found illiterate. As per BMI categories 14% elderly people were under weight, 16% were overweight whereas 70 % were found normal. 62%elderly people were found addicted of Gutkha, Tambaku, Bidi and Alcohol. Similarly while analyzing dietary habits it was observed that the consumption of nutrients was less than RDA. All the elderly people were found physically active .The study confirms the nutritional status of old age was satisfactory but the study recommends continuous follow-up and awareness program to enhance the overall health of this segment
