Nutritional Assessment and Intervention to Prevent and Treat Malnutrition for Fall Risk Reduction in Elderly Populations.

The aging US population is increasing, and it is estimated that adults older than 65 years will make up 20% of the population by 2029 and the proportion of individuals in the United States older than 65 years will outnumber individuals younger than 18 years. In older adults, accidental falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries. Prevalence of chronic conditions such as sarcopenia and frailty contribute to the increased risk for fall observed in this population. Nutritional status in elderly individuals is a key predictor of both frailty and sarcopenia, thus ensuring adequacy in these populations has the potential for preventing falls. Poor nutritional status is associated with the onset of frailty. Nutrition screening, assessment and interventions can be targeted at this age group to overcome treat and prevent malnutrition to minimize fall risk.