Evaluación del estado nutricional relacionado con sus hábitos alimentarios en adultos mayores del Centro Gerontológico Municipal Dr. Arsenio de la Torre Marcillo.

Abstract

Population aging has become a global phenomenon, presenting significant challenges to the health of older adults. General Objective: To evaluate the nutritional status and its relationship with dietary habits in older adults at the "Dr. Arsenio de la Torre Marcillo" Municipal Gerontological Center in Guayaquil during the year 2025. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study will be conducted. Results: The analysis of central tendencies and dispersion provides a comprehensive view of the clinical profile of the evaluated group (N=81). With a mean age of 74.17 years, the population is in an advanced stage of old age where nutritional control is critical. The average body mass index (BMI) of 27.96 confirms a generalized trend toward being overweight, supported by a mean weight of 66.51 kg compared to a mean height of 1.54 m. Regarding screening tools, the SARC-F shows a low mean (1.26), suggesting that, at a group level, symptoms of strength loss are not severe; however, the MNA mean (11.06 points) sits right at the threshold separating a normal state from the risk of malnutrition. Finally, the high variance in the healthy eating index (131.25) reflects an enormous heterogeneity in the participants' dietary habits. Conclusions: A severe deficiency in the quality of the diet among the center's older adults is noted. 67.9% of the participants maintain a diet classified as "unhealthy" or "needs changes." Only one-third consume a balanced diet.