A study of nutritional status and associated factors among the elderly males of Dantan-1 block, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal

This cross-sectional study investigates the nutritional status and related factors among 300 elderly men in the Chakismailpur Gram Panchayat of the Datan-1 block in the Paschim Medinipur district of West Bengal, India. The study Participants were selected following a purposive sampling method. Data were collected using a structured schedule and interview methods. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were employed to interpret the data, with a p-value of < 0.05 deemed statistically significant. According to the WHO (1995) guidelines, only 2.0% of participants were classified as underweight, while the majority (87.3%) had a normal body mass index (BMI), and 10.7% fell into the overweight category. The prevalence of abdominal obesity among participants was 9.3%. Different socio-economic and lifestyle factors have a statistically significant association with the nutritional status of participants., Based on the present findings, it can be concluded that socioeconomic factors that enhance socioeconomic status and facilitate informed lifestyle choices are vital for improving nutritional health among older adults.