Factors associated with high nutrition risk by 10-year age group: Data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Background: Nutrition at midlife and beyond influences how an individual ages. Nutrition risk, the risk of poor nutritional health, is highly prevalent in community-dwelling adults in these age groups. As the factors associated with nutrition risk may vary between different age groups, research is needed on the differences in nutrition risk between age groups.

Aim: To examine the social, demographic, and health factors associated with high nutrition risk, determined using SCREEN-8, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), stratified by 10-year age groups.

Methods: Using the baseline and first follow-up waves of the CLSA, bivariate multivariable logistic regression was conducted to examine the variables associated with high nutrition risk (SCREEN-8 score < 38) by 10-year age group.

Results: Higher levels of social support, higher social standing, more frequent participation in community activities, screening negative for depression, and higher levels of self-rated general health, healthy aging, and oral health were consistently associated with lower odds of being at high nutrition risk across all age groups at both baseline and follow-up.

Conclusion: Individuals with low levels of social support, low social standing, infrequent participation in community activities, poor general health, poor healthy aging, poor oral health, or who screen positive for depression should be screened proactively for nutrition risk. Programs and policies designed to address social support, social standing, participation in community activities, depression, health, healthy aging, and oral health may also help reduce the prevalence of high nutrition risk.