Resumen

GOMEZ VITAL, Miguel  y  ZULUETA TORRES, Daisy. Vigilancia alimentaria nutricional en hogares de ancianos. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2001, vol.17, n.6, pp.526-531. ISSN 0864-2125.

Food and nutritional surveillance started to be applied at homes for the aged in order to determine the relationship between food and the nutritional status of these individuals, since there are no references in Cuba about food nutritional surveillance for an institutionalized population. However, the malnutrition of these patients as well as the increase of morbidity and of the costs of care are topìcs that are dealt with in many publications. The sanple was composed of 4 homes for the elderly located in Havana City that were visited during November and December, 1999. The system has 3 components: availability, offer and nutritional status. The results showed that in all the institutions the daily per capita amount of energy and proteins had adapting percentages exceeding the recommendations. The offer, excepting proteins, did not fulfill the established regulations. Protein-energetic malnutrition prevailed among women and the chronic energetic difference G III presented the highest percentages. The information provided by the system may be used for making decisions at the different levels to benefit this vulnerable population group.

Palabras clave : HOMES FOR THE AGED; NUTRITIONAL SURVEILLANCE; NUTRITIONAL STATUS; NUTRITION DISORDERS; ANTHROPOMETRY; INSTITUTIONAL FEEDING.