The relationship between frailty, polypharmacy, and nutritional status in older adults

Background Frailty syndrome is increasingly prevalent among older adults. Early identification of frailty and assessment of associated risk factors—such as poor nutritional status and polypharmacy—are critical for mitigating its effects. This study investigates the relationship between frailty, polypharmacy, and nutritional status in the elderly population. Method A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted with 210 older adults recruited via convenience sampling from an urban health center in Izeh City. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were assessed using three standardized tools: the Tilburg Frailty Index (TFI), the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and a polypharmacy screening test. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.24. Results The age of the old participants was 75 ± 5, of which 110 were women and 100 were men. The number of non-frail older adults was 135, and the number of frail older adults was 75. Two variables predicted frailty in older adults. They are of normal nutritional status (β = -2.46, P = 0.008) and age. The age groups were 75–85 years (β = 1.38, P = 0.002) and over 85 years (β = 2.20, P = 0.0001). Conclusion The study highlights a direct relationship between advanced age (particularly ≥ 75 years) and frailty, while normal nutritional status appears to be protective. Contrary to expectations, polypharmacy did not significantly predict frailty in this cohort. These findings underscore the importance of nutritional interventions and age-specific frailty screening in geriatric care.