[Elderly mortality caused by nutritional deficiency in Colombia's Departments].

Objective: Comparing mortality in adults aged 65 years or older caused by nutritional deficiency in Colombia, according to department of usual residence in 2008.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 989 death certificates from 2008 was conducted adopting an empirical-analytic approach; underlying cause of death was due to nutritional deficiency (International Classification of Diseases:E40-E64, tenth revision). The distribution of death according to demographic variables was analyzed and mortality rates calculated by age, gender and place of residence.