Yaşlılarda Fiziksel Aktivite Düzeyi, Beslenme Durumu ve Bilişsel Fonksiyon Arasındaki İlişkinin Değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Ilhan, A., Assessment of Relationship Between Physical Activity Level, Nutritional Status and Cognitive Function in Elderly, Hacettepe University Institute of Health Sciences, MSc Thesis in Community Nutrition Program, Ankara, 2017. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between physical activity level, nutritional status and cognitive function in elderly. A sample of 200 individuals providing research criteria and aged 65 years or older, who applied to Ankara University, Ibni Sina Hospital Geriatrics Clinic, were included in study. In scope of this study; general characteristics of individuals and their disease information, biochemical findings collected from medical files, nutrition habits, 24-hour physical activity and food consumption records were questioned. In addition, anthropometric measurements were taken. Cognitive function and depression status werescreened by Standardized Mini Mental State Examination (S-MMSE) and Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form (GDS-SF), respectively. SPSS 23 statistical package program was used for statistical analysis of the data. 38 of 200 (19%) individuals were diagnosed with dementia.Those with dementia and without dementia were divided into two groups. The mean age of the group with dementia was 78.97±6.52 years and the mean age of the non-demented was 73.77±7.38 years.The mean scores of S-MMSE, GDS-SF and physical activity level (PAL); it was found 23.37±4.65, 6.66±3.19 and 1.36±0.23, respectively for women and 25.01±4.64, 5.21±3.24 and 1.52±0.28respectively for men. When all the participants were evaluated; it was found that negative, moderate and statistically significant correlation (r=-0.558,p<0.01) between S-MMSE and GDS-SF values. There was a positive, moderate and statistically significant correlation between S-MMSE and PAL values (r=0.553,p<0.01). In addition, there was a negative, moderate, and statistically significant correlation between GDS-SF and PAL values (r=-0.404,p<0.01). In women vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6 and zinc intakes were lower than men (p<0.05). It has been determined that the intakes of vitamin B3 and calcium of women and men are below the requirement. Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) levels (43.5 (36.5) U/L) of demented individuals were found to be significantly higher (27.5 (35.5) U/L) than non-demented according to routine biochemical findings. Dementia is a progressive disease that seriously threatens elderly individuals. Proper nutritional treatment and increasing levels of physical activity may slow the progression of the disease. Nutritional status is closely related to cognitive function level. Therefore, nutritional treatment should be an important component of multidisciplinary treatment of dementia and should not be overlooked.

Keywords: Cognitive function level, nutritional status, physical activity level