BACKGROUND
The world population is ageing rapidly as a result of low fertility and mortality rates and increasing life expectancies. Old age people (age 60 years and above) shared 962 million or 13% of the global population in 2017 and expected to be two billion by 2050. As individuals grow old, their dietary pattern changes and the risk of malnutrition estimated between 11.8% to 27% in the community elderly people. Ageing and nutrition are by far the number-one driver of the global burden of disease: every country is facing. Early assessment and management of malnutrition among old age people can minimize the negative consequences, extending to better health status and quality of life. Nutrition counselling is one of the first line of nutritional therapy. However, malnutrition in old age people remains under-detected, under-treated and under resourced, and is often overlooked in low-income countries like Ethiopia. Furthermore, nutritional interventions targeted to old age people are lacking in the country.
OBJECTIVE
This study is intended to estimate the effects of nutrition counselling on old age people’s nutritional status and quality of life in Bahir Dar City, Northwestern Ethiopia.
METHODS
A single-group pre-post-test quasi-experimental design will be conducted among 216 community-dwelling old age people aged 60 from April 25 to July 25, 2021. Trained nurses will provide nutritional counselling through home-to-home visits once a week for one month, lasting 30 minutes, with a two-month follow-up. Paired T-test will be used to calculate the changes in outcomes.
RESULTS
N/A
CONCLUSIONS
This investigation might be useful for maximizing the preservation of nutrition, health, and functional independence among community-dwelling old age people if the hypothesis is proven correct and show improved nutritional status and quality of life. By incorporating healthcare professional counselling into the current healthcare system for the elderly, hospital visits, expenses, and length of care could be reduced.
CLINICALTRIAL
Clinical Trial Registration URL: www.clinicaltrials.gov, which can be accessed with the identifier NCT04746664 (Release Date: October 5, 2021).