Korean Journal of Community Nutrition

Research Articles

[English]
Association between nutrient intake and frailty status in Korean older adults: a cross-sectional study using the 9th (2022–2023) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey: Hyejin Yu, Sang-Jin Chung; Korean J Community Nutr 2026;31(2):153-164. Published online April 30, 2026; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2026.00038

Abstract PDF: Objectives
This study evaluated the intake status of key macronutrients and micronutrients (calcium, magnesium, iron, and vitamin D) among Korean older adults and investigated their associations with frailty and its individual components.
Methods
Data from 1,246 participants (aged ≥ 65 years) in the 9th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2022–2023) were analyzed. Participants were classified into Robust, Pre-frail, and Frail groups based on a modified version of the Fried frailty phenotype (unintentional weight loss, exhaustion/fatigue, muscle weakness, slow gait speed, and low physical activity). Nutrient intake levels were categorized into tertiles. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for frailty. Model 1 was adjusted for age, sex, and total energy intake. Model 2 included additional adjustments for socioeconomic factors (household composition, household income) and function-related factors (aerobic physical activity, chewing difficulty, and disease status).
Results
Total energy intake differed significantly across frailty groups in both Model 1 (P = 0.011) and Model 2 (P = 0.043). In the fully adjusted model, participants in the highest tertile of iron intake (T3) had 35% lower odds of frailty compared to those in the lowest tertile (T1) (OR = 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.44–0.96). Iron intake maintained the strongest independent association with reduced odds of muscle weakness (T3 vs. T1: OR = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.28–0.71). Furthermore, higher protein intake per kilogram of body weight (T3) was significantly associated with lower odds of slow gait speed (OR = 0.53; 95% CI, 0.33–0.87) in the minimally adjusted model. Vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium were not significantly associated with overall frailty after full adjustment.
Conclusion
Insufficient intake of protein and iron is associated with increased odds of frailty and its functional components in Korean older adults. These findings underscore the critical need for evidence-based nutritional interventions and policy development to prevent and manage frailty at the population level.

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[Korean]
Nutritional Status according to the Frailty Status of the Elderly at Home in Seo-gu, Gwangju, Korea: Ye Eun Kim, Young-Ran Heo; Korean J Community Nutr 2021;26(5):382-395. Published online October 31, 2021; DOI: https://doi.org/10.5720/kjcn.2021.26.5.382

Objectives
This study examined the nutritional status according to frailty status in the elderly at home. Methods: The participants were a total of 76 elderly at home living in Seo-gu, Gwangju, Korea. The nutritional status and frailty status were analyzed using the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E) and the Korean version of the Fatigue, Resistance, Ambulation, Illnesses and Loss of weight Scale (K-FRAIL), respectively. Results: The distribution of frailty status was robust (17.1%), pre-frailty (38.2%) and frailty (44.7%), and its distribution was significantly different in genders, age groups and the number of medications. The mean NQ-E score was 47.0 for total subjects, indicating a low grade. The scores of balance, diversity and dietary behavior factors were within the low grade, while the score of the moderation factor was within the medium-high grade. According to the frailty status, pre-frailty and frailty showed significantly higher scores for sugar-added beverages intake in the moderation constructs than robust. Robust showed significantly higher scores for the exercise hours and perception level for one’s health than pre-frailty and frailty. Conclusions: These results suggest that nutrition status is associated with frailty status. Regular nutrition education and visiting nutrition service should be established to improve the balance and diversity of food intake and improve the dietary behavior of the elderly at home.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

The Dietary Status among Mild Dementia Elderly Using the Nutrition Quotient for Elderly (NQ-E) in Daegu
Hyun-Kyoung Bang, Mi-Ok Kim
Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life.2023; 33(4): 343. CrossRef
Evaluation of dietary quality using elderly nutrition quotient depending on the consumption of healthy functional foods
Jieun Lee, Hyo-Jeong Hwang, Hye-Young Kim, Jung-Sug Lee
Journal of Nutrition and Health.2023; 56(5): 483. CrossRef

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