Abstract

Author(s): Magalhães Medeiros, Gabriela; Michaello Macêdo, Daniela Menezes; Cavalcante, Lilian de Souza; Pessoa de Araújo Burgos, Maria Goretti

Objectives: Assess the effect of nutritional follow up on anthropometric variables in older adults with diabetes.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving male and female older adults with diabetes mellitus type 2 enrolled at the outpatient clinic for nutrition and diabetes of the Senior Health Center of the Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil. Demographic (sex, age and place of residence), anthropometric (weight, height, body mass index [BMI], waist circumference [WC] and calf circumference [CC]) and lifestyle (physical activity) data were collected.

Results: The majority was female (90.7%), aged 60-70 years (57%) and resided in metropolitan Recife (52.3%). After one year, a reduction in BMI (p = 0.020), maintenance of WC in the high category (p = 0.035) and the maintenance of ideal CC (p = 0.009) occurred among the men and reductions were found in WC and CC (maintained in the ideal range) among the women. A sedentary lifestyle was found in 63.6% of the sample (both sexes and all ages).

Conclusion: The one-year nutritional follow up led to significant anthropometric changes, with a reduction in the BMIamong males and in the WC and CC among females, with the CC remaining in the ideal range.