Malnutrition and physical performance in nursing home residents: results from the INCUR study

We investigated the association between the risk of malnutrition, assessed through the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), and physical performance, measured with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), in nursing home residents. Moreover, we evaluated which MNA-SF items were most related to the SPPB and the association of the MNA-SF with each SPPB subtest. A total of 499 older people enrolled in the Incidence of pNeumonia and related ConseqUences in nursing home Residents cohort study were examined. Higher scores of MNA-SF were associated with better physical performance (in particular with gait speed). Food intake deficiency, mobility impairment, and recent psychological stress or acute disease were the items of the MNA-SF most associated with the SPPB. In nursing home residents, the MNA-SF and three of its sub-items were significantly correlated with physical performance, independently of potential confounders. In particular, the association was evident for the gait speed subtask of the SPPB.