DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANTHROPOMETRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE NUTRITIONAL-STATUS OF THE ELDERLY

Institutionalized aged subjects, considered free of evolutive disease and whose body weight was stable, were studied. They were divided into two groups depending on their body mass index: controls (BMI greater-than-or-equal-to 24) and depleted (BMI less-than-or-equal-to 21). The depleted group, as judged by anthropometric measurements, showed dramatically reduced body muscle and adipose masses. Usual blood parameters were normal in both groups. Biochemical markers of the protein and energy status, viz. albumin, transthyretin, transferrin, somatomedin-C, as well as serum levels of osteocalcin and apolipoproteins AI, AII, B, CII, CIII and E, were not affected in the depleted group. However, moderate iron deficiency and marked zinc deficiency were found in this group. It is concluded that in the elderly, biochemical markers of the protein and energy status are not related to the nutritional status assessed by anthropometry.