Chronic Diseases and Nutritional Status of Older Adults Residing in Private Nursing Homes in Izmir

Background: Malnutrition and sarcopenia are common geriatric syndromes strongly associated with morbidity, mortality, and functional decline. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of chronic diseases, geriatric syndromes, nutritional status, and nutritional support use among older adults residing in private nursing homes in Izmir, Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between July 1 and December 31, 2023, including 342 individuals aged ≥65 years living in private long-term care facilities. Sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases, nutritional status, and medication use were collected through structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews with participants or healthcare staff. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®), and sarcopenia risk was evaluated with the SARC-F questionnaire. Results: Of the participants, 270 (67.3%) were women and 112 (32.7%) men, with a mean age of 80.2 ± 8.5 years (range: 65–98). The prevalence of malnutrition was 45.2% in women and 41.1% in men, while the risk of malnutrition was 42.2% and 29.5%, respectively. Neuropsychiatric disorders were the most common chronic diseases (70.7%) and geriatric syndromes (69.9%). Oral nutritional supplements were used by 52.0% of participants, tube feeding by 8.2%, and parenteral nutrition by 1.5%. Malnourished individuals had significantly lower MNA scores (10.5 ± 4.6) and higher SARC-F scores (7.6 ± 2.3). Malnutrition was significantly associated with psychiatric and neurological disorders (p < 0.001), cardiovascular diseases (p = 0.034), and diabetes mellitus (p < 0.001), but not with hypertension, rheumatologic, gastrointestinal diseases, or cancer. Conclusions: Malnutrition and sarcopenia are highly prevalent among older adults in nursing homes. The prevalence of malnutrition increased progressively from residents receiving oral nutritional supplements to those requiring tube and parenteral feeding. A moderate negative correlation was found between MNA and SARC-F scores. Early identification and targeted nutritional interventions are critical to improving outcomes in this population.