[Barriers to social participation are associated with risk of undernutrition in older males with diabetes].

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between barriers to social participation and the risk of undernutrition in older adults with diabetes.

Methods: The subjects were outpatients with diabetes ≥60 years old at Ise Red Cross Hospital. The risk of undernutrition was measured using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form, and a total score of ≤11 was defined as being at risk. The Social Participation Barriers in Patients with Diabetes (SPBD) questionnaire, which consists of 10 items, was used to measure social participation barriers. A logistic regression analysis was performed using the respective SPBD score quartiles (Q1-Q3) for men and women, with the risk of undernutrition as the dependent variable and SPBD score (based on the Q1 group) as the explanatory variable.

Results: In total, 310 patients (187 men and 123 women) were included in the analysis. In men, the adjusted odds ratios for the risk of undernutrition in Q2 and Q3 based on Q1 were 1.56 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-3.83; p=0.328) and 4.52 (95% CI, 1.78-11.46; p=0.001), respectively. In women, the adjusted odds ratios for the risk of undernutrition of Q2 and Q3 based on Q1 were 2.87 (95% CI, 0.85-9.61; p=0.087) and 3.73 (95% CI, 0.88-15.82; p=0.073), respectively.

Conclusion: The results of this study in older people with diabetes showed that barriers to social participation were associated with a risk of undernutrition in men. In particular, hyperglycemia, diabetes treatment, and value-based barriers to social participation were associated with the risk of undernutrition. It is important to raise awareness of the barriers to social participation from the viewpoint of nutrition in older people with diabetes.