In this issue of the Journal, Landi et al
1
have found that nearly 20% of old-old persons have anorexia. More importantly, they
found that persons with anorexia were more likely to be frail and to go on to develop
disability. This is in concert with a previous study that found that persons with
anorexia have an increased rate of mortality.
2
A simple scale that identifies persons at risk for anorexia, the Simplified Nutrition
Assessment Scale (SNAQ), is highly predictive of weight loss
3
(Table 1). Weight loss is a core component of frailty
4
,
5
,
6
,
7
and is highly predictive of future mortality.
8
,
9
Table 1The Simplified Nutrition Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ)
|
Instructions: Complete the questionnaire by circling the correct answers and then
tally the results based on the following numerical scale: A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D =
4, E = 5.
Scoring: If the mini-SNAQ is less than 14, there is a significant risk of weight loss.
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