Health status of woman from a small and big town in Poland: the subjective and objective assessment

Abstract

The way of defining the concept of health varies depending on the age, sex, social position of a person conditioned by place of residence, economic and family situation. The aim of the study was to assess subjective and objective health status of women over 65 living in a small and big town. In the subjective assessment of the nutritional status were the MNA questionnaire used, in the objective assessment was BMI used. Body composition analysis was carried out using the bioimpedance method. Lab tests were made using standard methods. The quantitative assessment of the diet was made using the 24-hour intake method, the results calculated in software Dieta 5. Significantly more often women from Nysa than from Wroclaw assessed their health status in comparison with their peers as just as good or better (p <0.05). The BMI value among Nysa women shows the overweight, and among women from Wroclaw, obesity. The average content of adipose tissue among all examined women indicated significant fatness of the examined group (36 – 37%). The average energy supply in the food rations of women from Nysa and Wroclaw differed statistically significantly and did not meet the accepted norms. In conclusion, we can say that older women from a small city assessed their health as better or as good compared to older women in a large city. The implementation of dietary norms and recommendations in the food rations of the subjects was insufficient. However, women from a small town provided statistically significantly more nutrients in their diets.