[Nutritional status and related factors among elderly Brazilians].

Objective: This study describes the nutritional status and associated factors among elderly Brazilians.

Methods: Data from "Pesquisa sobre Padrões de Vida" (PPV- Life Pattern Research), conducted by the "Brazilian Geographic and Statistics Institute" in 1996/1997 were used. Body Mass Index (BMI) was applied to classify nutritional status and is the response variable of this study. Multivariate analysis with polytomous logistic regression was used.

Results: Prevalence of underweight was 5.7%, eutrophy 50.4%, overweight 32.3% and obesity 11.6%. Women have a 1.32 greater chance of overweight (CI 95% 0.99-1.74; p=0.05) and 4.11 of obesity (CI 95% 2.57-6.57; p<0.01). Higher age increased risk of underweight and diminished that of overweight and obesity. Elderly with a lower income have a higher risk of underweight and those with a greater income have higher risk of overweight and obesity. Elderly with a chronic disease have a higher risk of changes in the nutritional status.

Conclusion: Results show a higher prevalence of overweight and eutrophy and a lower prevalence of obesity and underweight. Characteristics associated with nutritional status other than eutrophy are: gender, schooling, income, chronic health problem and age.