[Nutritional status of institutionalized elderly. Valencia, State of Carabobo, Venezuela].

To assess the nutritional status of 80 elderly living in a geriatric home, a cross-sectional study was designed. 40 men (76.1 +/- 8.2 years) and 40 women (83.1 +/- 6.9 years) were randomly selected. Anthropometric indicators (weight (W), height (H), triceps skinfold (TSF), muscle area (MA), fat area (FA), mid-arm circumference (MAC), arm muscle circumference (AMC) and body mass index (BMI)), biochemical parameters (hemoglobin, ferritin, cholesterol, albumin, zinc and vitamin A) and dietary intake (weighed method) were determined. MAC and AMC in men and PT and FA in women were below 10th percentile. 35.3% did not show signs of undernutrition, 39.7% was at nutritional risk (1 sign) and the other 25% was undernourished (2 or more signs). 8% showed anemia 52% had low values of ferritin, 13% were hypozincemic, 8% had vitamin A deficiency, 29% had hypoalbuminemia and 7.9% hipocholesterolemia. 50% and 48% of men and women had energy intake below 1.5 x BMR (n = 47). Vitamin A, C and zinc adecuacies were below 2/3 RDA. Evidence of the high nutritional risk of this elderly group is provided by alteration of anthropometric, biochemical and dietary indicators. Some other parameters must be assessed (reduced appetite, lack of foods) in order to detect more subtle changes of the nutritional status, and a nutritional intervention should be started immediately.