Global burden and cross-country inequalities of nutritional deficiencies in adults aged 65 years and older, 1990-2021: population-based study using the GBD 2021.

Background/objectives: Nutritional deficiencies remain significant public health issues in older populations globally. This study evaluates the burden, trends, and cross-country inequalities of four common nutritional deficiencies (protein-energy malnutrition, iodine deficiency, vitamin A deficiency, and dietary iron deficiency) in older adults from 1990 to 2021.

Methods: Age-standardised prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), and average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) of these deficiencies in people aged ≥ 65 years at global, regional, and national levels were estimated from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021.