nutritional status in community-dwelling older adults and geriatric home

Aims: malnutrition among older adults is a significant public health issue, with geriatric individuals often at higher risk. this study aimed to compare the nutritional status of community-dwelling older adults with those residing in geriatric homes.instrument & methods: this comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in babil province, iraq, in 2025, on 200 participants (100 community-dwelling and 100 geriatric home residents) aged 60 years or older. nutritional status was assessed using the mini nutritional assessment device, along with demographic and anthropometric data. data were analyzed using spss version 25, with independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis employed to identify predictors of malnutrition.findings: significant differences were observed between the two groups. community-dwelling older adults had better nutritional status, with 60% categorized as having normal nutrition compared to 30% in geriatric homes (p<0.001). geriatric home residents exhibited higher rates of malnutrition (20% vs. 10%, p=0.047), lower body mass index (22.8±3.5 vs. 24.6±3.1, p=0.018), and decreased meal frequency (2.4±0.6 vs. 3.1±0.5 meals/day, p<0.001). logistic regression analysis identified living in geriatric homes, low body mass index, recent weight loss, and infrequent meal frequency as significant predictors of malnutrition.conclusion: geriatric home residents are at greater risk of malnutrition compared to community-dwelling older adults.