Physical Activity, Nutritional Status, and Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence in Geriatric Outpatients: A Cross-sectional Study in Swabi
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Introduction
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death among older people worldwide. Cardiovascular risk is high in the elderly, with modifiable risk factors including inactivity and poor diet. Objectives: To evaluate geriatric physical activity, nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA)), cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevalence, and to explore the association between physical activity and nutrition with cardiovascular risk.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study included 150 geriatrics. A structured questionnaire using a WHO-aligned physical activity assessment tool (GPAQ) and the validated six-item MNA screening tool. Statistical analysis was done with IBM SPSS 22.0.
Results
Among the participants, 56.7% were physically inactive, while 43.3% were active. CVD was present in 50.7% of participants. The mean MNA score was 8.83 ±1.98, indicating that a substantial proportion of participants were at risk of malnutrition. Physically active individuals demonstrated significantly lower odds of CVD compared with inactive participants (OR = 0.42, 95% Cl: 0.21-0.84, p = 0.014). Nutritional risk was also significantly associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Physical inactivity and nutritional vulnerability are highly prevalent in this geriatric cohort and are significantly associated with CVD. 58% lower odds of CVD (OR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.21–0.84), though the wide interval precludes a precise estimate of effect magnitude.
