Abstract
Americans are living longer; therefore, the effectiveness of government-sponsored programs such as nutrition and exercise for older adults is important. This study utilizes the Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA), a survey including questions on lifestyle, diet, and anthropometrics, to evaluate nutritional status and thus the success of such programs. The MNA was administered to 35 seniors enrolled in a congregate dining site and a tai chi class. A meta-analysis of 7 studies using the MNA for community-dwelling seniors (n = 2798) was used as a comparison group. Results showed both groups fell within the usual range (-2 <= z <= 2) for the number of malnourished subjects (z = -0.05860). The Hudson County group scored better for the number of subjects at risk for malnutrition (z = -2.960) and those who are well nourished (z = 3.057). This finding suggests those who participate in government-sponsored programs may have better nutritional status than those who do not.